


Evolution

by EmrysTheMerlin



Series: Hero Time [3]
Category: Ben 10 Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Ben has PTSD, Crossover happens but only for two chapters, F/F, F/M, Fem Ben 10, Female Ben Tennyson, Gen, Genderbending, Generator Rex - Freeform, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Jen 10, Jennifer Tennyson, Max Force, Mentor Grandpa Max, Plumbers Kids, Vilgax is a dick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:07:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 41
Words: 58,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23313622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmrysTheMerlin/pseuds/EmrysTheMerlin
Summary: After a near death experience, the loss of the original Omnitrix and the acquisition of the Ultimatrix Jen is ready for life to settle down to as normal as it ever gets. Her world is once again turned on its ear though when the world catches wind of her secret identity. With her private life made very much public Jen will have to wrestle with enemies old and new while working out how to control the Ultimatrix and heal from the worst kind of broken heart.
Relationships: Ben Tennyson & Gwen Tennyson, Kevin Levin & Ben Tennyson, Kevin Levin/Gwen Tennyson, Max Tennyson/Verdona
Series: Hero Time [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1626832
Comments: 52
Kudos: 69





	1. Still Alive

The floating feeling was nice. Much better than the pain, it had felt as though her blood was replaced with needles and her head was so full it was going to implode and take everything around her with it like a black hole. All the while fighting Vilgax. Wait Vilgax? Jen shot upright gasping for air, panic filling her brain as she reached for the Omnitrix. Someone caught her hands and she kicked out blindly and connected with something solid and unyielding. She kicked it again and her ankle twinged as she wrestled with whoever was holding her wrists. It was then that sound returned and she heard a familiar voice. 

“I swear if you keep fighting me Tennyson I’m going to punch some sense back into you!” She blinked as her eyes finally focused. 

“Kevin?” Blurry shapes became clear and she blinked at the very human face of Kevin Levin. He nodded, a slight smile pulling at his lips. 

“Yeah it’s me, you gonna keep fighting or can Gwen drop the shield?” Jen looked around Gwen was at the end of the device she now recognized as the Genesis Cradle. It was a particularly clever device of Azmuth’s that allowed the Omnitrix to recreate whole species in one go. It was also one of the only safe and pain free ways for him to work on the Omnitrix. Jen grabbed Kevin’s hand and let him pull her free of the Cradle.

“What happened?” She asked as Gwen rushed forward to hug her cousin. Jen returned the redhead’s hug as Jen spotted Grandpa Max talking to Azmuth a few feet away. Pierce was nowhere to be seen and that concerned her, she thought he’d been with them for the final fight with Vilgax. Gwen spoke before Jen could panic. 

“We won. Pierce is back at the base in Bellwood keeping an ear to the ground for any whisper of Vilgax, nothing so far but it’s only been a few days.” Jen blinked. 

“Days!” Kevin nodded. 

“Yeah, you decided that blowing up the Omnitrix was a good idea. You know even though it’s part of you.” Gwen glanced at Kevin with a bit of reproach in her eyes. Kevin shrugged. “What? It’s what she did!” Jen nodded. 

“I remember that part. Then the ship crashed into the ocean, I took the Ultimatrix from Albeda and Vilgax turned into a giant squid. What happened after that?” Max had stepped over to them.

“The fusion core in Vilgax’s ship blew. We’re not sure if he made it out or not. We’ve got Plumbers out looking but nothing so far.” Jen nodded as Kevin deposited her in a seat. She sighed and looked down at the Ultimatrix around her wrist. Though around her arm might be more accurate. This device was much larger than even the original Omnitrix, stretching from the base of her wrist halfway to her elbow. It was also bright green not the red she remembered. Before she could ask Azmuth hopped onto her arm. He examined the Ultimatrix. 

“It will do for now.” He looked up at Jen. “The Ultimatrix wasn’t finished when Albeda stole the core. Only a few of the transformations have their evolutions programed.” Jen frowned. 

“Yeah I was wondering about that, how come Ultimate Humungousaur has guns in her hands?” Azmuth shook his head. 

“These are theoretical peek evolutions of your aliens. A bit of an experiment really. I was curious really. But as I said the core wasn’t finished when she stole it. Keep up with your entries on the aliens, I’ll be checking in on that from time to time.” He hopped off her wrist and tapped a button on his wrist before she could ask anything else. The now familiar feeling of being teleported overcame them and they blinked, finding themselves in the mostly finished Bellwood base. Pierce blinked at them and Gwen laughed. 

“You know I’m starting to get used to that.” Kevin quipped as he held out a hand to Jen, who’d landed on the floor without the chair she’d had moments before. Jen grinned and took his hand. Gwen tossed her cousin’s other arm over her shoulder. 

“Let’s get you home, your parents are worried.” Jen grinned sheepishly and nodded. 

She spent the next two days at home, catching up on homework and being fussed over by her parents. She’d been in the Cradle recovering from catastrophic organ failure and what Azmuth called ‘brain overload’ for two days. Her school was under the impression that she’d caught a cold. Julie came by and Jen regaled her with everything she remembered of the battle while Ship cuddled her. He seemed curious about the Ultimatrix but he was warned off again as he had been from the Omnitrix and settled for curling up on her shirt while Julie helped her catch up on her homework and let her copy her notes. The tennis player sighed. 

“I’m sort of glad I opted out of the whole Plumber thing, that’s nuts.” Jen nodded as she chewed on her pen cap focusing on the history notebook in front of her. 

“You’re not wrong.” Julie laughed. Jen’s phone buzzed. She answered. 

“Hello?” 

“We got Knights on the move, feel up to a little ass kicking?” Jen grinned at Kevin’s words. 

“Pick me up in five.” Julie rolled her eyes but smiled patiently as Jen snapped a few photos of her notes and raced out the front door to meet Kevin’s car at the curb. At least life seemed to be getting back to some semblance of normal. Jen’s hand found the necklace around her neck and the ring that still hung there. Things would never be completely normal again. Not for any of them but she could make life work, at least she hoped she could.


	2. Revealed

Months passed, December came and went, Jen and Gwen shared their birthday party as usual. Jen’s parents let her finally take ownership of the car Kevin had built her and the brunette passed her driving test with flying colors. The trio settled into a routine. Jen was delighted to discover that the Ultimatrix had allowed her to unlock, not just the aliens she had been recently, but every transformation she had ever used. She had way too much fun getting reacquainted with the old transformations, with the exception of Ghostfreak. Despite all assurances from Azmuth and her Grandma Verdona that the hostile mind that had been attached to the ectonurite DNA was gone Jen still wasn’t comfortable with using the transformation, too many bad memories attached. Gwen wasn’t so lucky in the car department, though her parents let her take her test, and she passed, they still weren’t so sure about getting her a car of her own yet. Kevin let her drive his car as consolation. 

All told things were going pretty well. The base under Bellwood was close to finished, Grandpa Max was letting Jen, Gwen and Kevin in with more frequency since they had already spoiled the surprise to honor Ethan and his father. He had basically moved into the completed barracks anyway. Pierce had actually moved into the barracks along with a few Plumbers who were being stationed at the base. 

SECT, the Special Extraterrestrial Containment Team, and various branches of world government were talking to the Plumbers about opening Earth to the Universe. The negotiations were being kept very quiet for now as no one wanted to scare the general public but it was becoming harder and harder to hide the aliens from the general public. Jen had been invited to a few of these meetings, as a witness and example of how alien and human could work together. She also saw Lieutenant Steele again. He offered his condolences for what had happened to Ethan. She’d nodded to him but didn’t speak, her throat had closed as it usually did when the tears threatened. January crawled its way by, eventually giving way to February. Despite the continued activity of the Forever Knights things were relatively quiet. That was until one evening just after Valentines day. Jen was at home working on a project for her Current Events class when Gwen and Kevin stormed in. Jen blinked up at them. Kevin glanced at the blank tv and nodded. 

“That explains why you haven’t called.” Jen looked up at the clock on the wall.

“Was I supposed to? I’m doing homework, I have to find an article about a current event I’m interested in.” Kevin started laughing loudly. Gwen glowered at him. Jen frowned. “Why is my homework making your boyfriend laugh Gwen?” 

“Because you’re the only event happening right now.” Jen blinked at her cousin in confusion. Gwen snatched up the remote and flicked on the tv stopping on the first news channel she could find. Jen stared as a distorted voice over spoke about aliens not only being real but among us. If that wasn’t bad enough all the videos and photos shown on the segment were her aliens, obvious due to the Omnitrix symbol always present. Something that whoever was voicing this news seemed to have realized. 

‘And the most surprising thing of all is that all the aliens you’ve just seen are actually alter egos of one woman. Her name is Jen Tennyson.” Jen went pale her notebook slipping from boneless fingers as a photo of her from the school newspaper popped up on the screen. She and a few of her soccer teammates were holding up the trophy they’d won that season and the Ultimatrix was on her wrist. Though the majority of the device was hidden by the sleeve of her shirt the bright green and black hourglass was clearly visible. 

“Oh you’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day was a blur. Jen pulled the landline out of the wall when the phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Eventually she shut off her cellphone too. Gwen could keep her parents, out of town thanks to her father’s job once again, in the loop. It was probably better that they weren’t here though things were going crazy. In addition to her name and face plastered everywhere there were news vans outside the house day and night waiting for her to come out. Kevin was blocked in, as was Jen’s car. The three of them were going a little crazy. 

“I understand freedom of the press Lieutenant Steele, my father is a lawyer! This is harassment of a minor. We can’t even leave the house!” Gwen argued into Kevin’s phone. Her own was in Jen’s hand. 

“Yeah mom, I have no idea how it happened. No you and dad shouldn’t come home early. Mom I doubt you’d even be able to get to the house right now. Yeah news vans around the block.” Jen sighed. “I’ll be careful mom I promise. Love you too.” She hung up and tossed Gwen’s phone onto the table before grabbing one of the pillows from the couch and screaming into it with gusto. Kevin winced as he flicked through another news channel. 

“They are all over you. Seem to be of two minds, you’ve got Harangue, who seems to think you’re some kind of menace, one woman invasion. Then you’ve got the other side who seem to be actually covering what they can of what you’ve actually done. They seem more on your side. It’s the smaller local channel. Jen swore. 

“I hate this!” She paced the room up and down and growled under her breath. “I can’t be in this house anymore!” Kevin stood and peeked through the curtains cameras flashed and he dropped it again. 

“How do you plan to get past them?” Jen frowned then nodded to herself. 

“Ok.” She snatched up Kevin’s keys and tossed them to him. “Once they’re gone you guys go do something. I don’t know. I can’t be in this house anymore. I’m gonna head to Julies, hide out there for a bit.” She slipped her phone into her jacket. Taking a deep breath she slipped her own keys into her pocket and stepped up to the door. Gwen frowned. 

“I’m gonna have to call you back Lieutenant.” She hung up as Jen opened the door and stepped outside to the flash of cameras and the clamoring of questions. She closed the door before Kevin and Gwen could leave with her. Gwen peeked out through the curtain and watched her cousin. The poor girl looked very nervous, fiddling with the ring on the necklace around her neck. She waved awkwardly at the cameras a nervous grin on her face. Kevin shook his head as Jen’s hands dropped and met behind her. 

“This won’t go well.” He made to step to the door but Gwen grabbed his hand she’d seen her cousin’s hand spin the dial on the Ultimatrix. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Hi?” Jen waved at the reported and was immediately bombarded with questions. She blinked at the bright flashes of light from the cameras. Above the din of noise she heard one of the reporters ask a question. 

“Miss Tennyson! Can you show us one of your aliens?” Jen let her hands drop behind her, where they couldn’t be seen. She nodded slightly as she spun the dial on the Ultimatrix. All she needed was someone with wings. She knew who she wanted though. And by some miracle the device obeyed. In a flash of green light Big Chill stood before the reporters before taking to the wing. They raced to their cars to chase the giant moth. She led them about eight blocks away before letting herself vanish behind a building then into thin air. She sighed as she flew back to her car. Kevin and Gwen seemed to have taken her advice and gotten out as soon as the reporters cleared off. She checked that they’d locked the door then drove to Julies house, wearing an old hoodie of Kevin’s that would make it harder for her to be recognized than her signature green jacket, though she kept it in the car. She tapped on the door and Julie opened it. 

“Oh thank god! You’re ok!” Jen shrugged as Julie ushered her inside. 

“Well ok is sort of relative right now. I mean I had to literally pull a disappearing act to get out of my own house so you know.” She let Julie hug her close. She took a few calming breaths. Julie ushered her over to the couch. “Thanks for letting me hide out here.” Julie nodded. 

“I have tennis practice in an hour but you can stay as long as you need.” Ship hopped up on Jen’s lap and she cuddled the mechamorph. Jen’s mood wasn’t improved by the broadcast by Will Harangue though, questioning if she was a threat or a menace. Julie frowned. 

“That’s bad journalism.” Jen raised an eyebrow. 

“How so, you can’t just claim he’s a bad journalist cause he hates me.” Julie shook her head. 

“No, he’s skewing his answers. There’s no positive answer. No balanced perspective. Only people who are against you can even vote in it.” Jen nodded feeling a tiny bit better. She and Julie decided that TV wasn’t the best thing right now and went out for a drive in Jen’s new car instead.


	3. Just A Kid

Kevin’s idea, hunting down the man who’d dumped Jen’s ID all over the internet and beating some payback out of him, was a good one. Jen dropped Julie off at her tennis practice along with Ship who hid in the girls gym bag. She nodded to Kevin and he drove off, Jen following closely behind. He’d already tracked the ip address back to its source, a town just a few miles from Bellwood. Jen was getting far too warm in Kevin’s hoodie so she switched back to her usual jacket. Even here it was too cold in February to go without a jacket entirely. They met no one as Kevin got them into the apartment building and they made their way up to the apartment in question. Jen was feeling very jumpy. She didn’t like any of this. 

She liked it even less when the older plump woman opened the door. Her eyes zeroed in on Jen’s jacket and she smiled. 

“Oh you must be friends of James!” She turned away from them and shouted back into the apartment. “Jimmy! Your friends are here!” In moments a slightly confused looking ten year old appeared at her elbow. He was wearing a bright green hoodie, but on the upper right chest was hand stitched an identical number ten to the one on Jen’s jacket. He even had a white stripe, slightly crookedly sewn, on the opposite sleeve. His eyes went wide when he spotted her. 

“Miss Tennyson!” He grabbed her hand and enthusiastically shook it. “I’m Jimmy Jones, I’m your biggest fan!” Before they knew what was happening they were being invited in for cookies and soda. Eventually Jimmy managed to drag them away from his mom and into his room, when she had to leave for her shift. Kevin looked about ready to snap at the kid and Gwen had kept a hand on him since the door had first opened, though he’d dropped the metal from around him which was a step in the right direction. Jen let out a low breath at the sight of Jimmy’s room. He had dedicated an entire wall to what looked like an old school detective board, complete with strings connecting pieces of evidence. Most of it seemed to be of Jen. Though there were smaller sections of the wall dedicated to Gwen, Kevin, Pierce and Ethan. Jen’s heart twisted at the sight of the article about the car crash that had killed him. She twanged the red string that connected Kevin and Gwen’s boards instead. Kevin glared. 

“Why did you do this to Jen?” He snarled it and Jimmy frowned, looking a little scared. Gwen had lost her hold on the Osmosian as he snatched Jimmy up by his collar. 

“Put him down Kevin!” Jen’s tone was final as she looked over the desk. Kevin dropped him and Jimmy’s frown grew. 

“What do you mean? I thought I was helping Miss Tennyson.” Jen spotted a small device next to the laptop in the room. She picked it up as Kevin scoffed. 

“Yeah right you ruined her life! And who did you pay to do that stupid voiceover?” Jen smacked Kevin on the arm and he turned to her. 

“Lay off, he’s just a kid.” She flicked the device on and held it up to her mouth. “And,” her voice came through the device distorted and deeper, “I’m pretty sure it was all him.” Gwen shoved her boyfriend toward the door as Jimmy began to sob. Jen set down his voice scrambler and stepped over to him. She pulled a tissue out of her pocket and handed it to him. He took it and hiccupped. Gwen was much kinder as she spoke to the young boy.

“I get that you were trying to help but by revealing her identity to the world you’ve made it more difficult for Jen to help people.” Jimmy sniffled as Jen sat down next to him, trying not to look as defeated as she felt. She wasn’t sure if she succeeded though as Jimmy’s tears only slowed. 

“I just figured out who you were, and you were so cool! I wanted everyone to know that you’ve saved the world.” Jen sighed.

“Jimmy, what you need to understand is that I don’t do this for the attention. I do it because it’s the right thing to do.” Jimmy sniffled and scrubbed at his eyes with the tissue before blowing his nose. 

“I’m sorry Miss Tennyson.” Jen nodded. 

“It’s ok Jimmy, let’s just refrain from dumping more of my personal life on the internet ok?” He nodded. She frowned. “Come to think of it how did you figure me out anyway?” Jimmy smiled slightly, his tears finally stopping. 

“Well I run a website!” He hopped up and stepped over to his computer. “I document alien encounters and I get submissions from all over but a really big chunk of them come from Bellwood. So I was doing some organizing and I mapped it out.” He pulled up a file on his computer. It was a map of the US with green lines all over it but a web rested over and around Bellwood. 

“See?” I don’t get why you wandered the US like six years ago though.” Jen shrugged. 

“Summer vacation.” She said by way of explanation, quite impressed that he’d managed to work this all out. Jimmy nodded. 

“Yeah but see a bunch of the aliens had this same symbol.” He pulled up the file. Jen nodded, he’d even labeled the file with the Omnitrix symbol. “Then I was doing some digging on that symbol and found a few photos when I did a match search. He pulled them up. Jen just counted her lucky stars that he had picked the photo of her that he had. There were a few here that weren’t so flattering. There were also photos of Hellen, Pierce and Allen here. They were the only three of the Max Force who tended to wear their badges prominently. Jen shook her head. 

“Those one’s aren’t me. And I’d prefer to keep them off the web if possible. If we can keep my friends from the madness of the press that I’m having to deal with that would be best.” Jimmy nodded deleting the photos. Gwen frowned. 

“Who’s this?” She held up a photo of a red alien Jen had never seen before, it looked like it was pulled from a security video. Jimmy shrugged. 

“I thought it was Miss Tennyson at first but then I got ahold of the video.” Which started with the bright red words TOP SECRET. Jen frowned as she watched the alien attack. Gwen frowned. 

“No audio?” Jimmy shook his head. 

“I was lucky to get the picture.” Jen nodded, grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled down her phone number. She held it out to Jimmy whose eyes glittered excitedly. 

“Listen to me very carefully. I am giving this to you for emergencies only. If you get your hands on any video of aliens hurting somebody, I want to be the first to hear about it. You’re not allowed to share this number or even tell anyone you have it.” Jimmy nodded bouncing excitedly. Jen paused then scribbled a badly drawn picture of what looked like a squid. “And if you catch wind of that,” she pointed at the scribble, “you call me day or night.” Jimmy frowned. 

“An octopus?” He sounded confused. Jen shook her head. 

“It’ll be eighty feet tall with red eyes and the capacity for human speech.” Jimmy nodded. 

“You can count on me Miss Tennyson.” Jen smiled and handed the number over. Jimmy paused then blurted out, “Can I have your autograph too?” Jen blinked as if surprised that was a question she was hearing. Kevin scoffed from the doorway Gwen elbowed him and Jen picked up the phone from Jimmy’s desk. 

“Sure kiddo, here.” She pulled up his camera on his phone and nodded towards it. Jimmy’s grin nearly split his face as they took a selfie together and Jen signed a photo of his favorite alien which turned out to be Humungousaur. He let her take the photo of the red alien with her when they left. Kevin was about to speak when Jen turned to him. 

“Need you to track that video to its actual source. I want to hit something that actually deserves it.” He nodded slightly. 

“Sure, meet me at the Plumber airfield outside of town. We’ll take the Rustbucket to track it down.” Jen and Gwen frowned. 

“You want to drive to Florida?” Kevin grinned.

“No the new one. You’ll see. I still say you went too easy on him though Tennyson.” Jen shrugged as they left the building. 

“He’s just a kid doing what he thought was right. Reminds me of me at that age.” Kevin nodded slightly then grinned. 

“Maybe that’s why he’s so annoying.” Gwen laughed as Jen punched Kevin in the shoulder. They made their way to their separate cars and took off for the airfield.


	4. Scan

The fight against the red alien was not going well. The first real battle and the Ultimatrix decided that now was a good time to go yellow and claim that all the functions were unavailable, due to a new and unidentified species DNA being present. Luckily Jen had figured out the scanning mode during the week she’d spent last summer with Paradox and Azmuth. She rotated the dial twice to the left and halfway back to the right. Yellow light glowed out from dial and swept up and down the alien. 

‘Unidentified DNA scanned and catalogued.’ The Ultimatrix beeped as though satisfied and turned green once more. The alien frowned. 

“What did you do?” He sounded almost scared. 

“Now you wanna talk? Wanna tell me why you’re stealing from NASA?” The alien seemed less talkative when being asked questions. Jen was delighted to use Chromastone again, she’d refrained for a while worried about the form since it had been shattered then seemingly escaped the Omnitrix. But then she nearly drowned and was electrocuted. She woke back up to Gwen and Kevin standing over her with the general who’d met them when they called ahead to tell NASA that the Plumbers had caught wind of their problem. The alien had stolen the nuclear core of the starship NASA was building. It was a definite issue. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Finding the alien was easy, Jen went Ultimate Spidermonkey to beat him. This version of this insectoid ape was more gorilla than chimp and purple not blue. With no tail the webbing came from a separate opening under her mouth accessible when her bottom lip pulled apart like an insects mouth. But beat him she did. Kevin stopped the bomb with ten seconds to spare and Gwen couldn’t help but feel that he’d done that on purpose. Bivalvan, as the alien revealed his name to be, was just trying to get home after being kidnapped by someone called Aggregor. Jen nodded at him.

“And the others you said were with you?” Bivalvan shook his head. 

“I don’t know. We were separated.” Jen nodded again and pulled her communicator out of her shirt. 

“Plumber HQ, this is Jen 10.” It took a moment for her call to be answered. But eventually an unfamiliar voice rang over the line. 

“This is Jarem Miss Tennyson, local Plumber stationed in Orlando. How can I help you!” He sounded very eager. Gwen rolled her eyes. Jen ignored her. 

“I’ve got an alien at these coordinace by the name of Bivalvan who needs a ride home. He says he was kidnapped and landed on Earth with four other captives. I’m sending his coordinates to you now.” She tapped her communicator a few times. 

“I will see to it Miss Tennyson! You have my word.” Jen glanced up as Kevin pulled the nuclear device free of the ship. She frowned. 

“Thanks Jarem. I appreciate it. Look he’s gonna be on his own when you get here we need to get this nuclear device he stole back to NASA.” 

“We’ll be there in less than twenty minutes Miss Tennyson.” Jen nodded. 

“Thanks.” She hung up on him. “I’m gonna leave you up there. The Plumbers will cut you down when they get here.” Bivalvan nodded. He seemed resigned to this, just relieved they were sending him home. They took the nuclear device back to the general and he thanked them profusely. 

“Anything we can do for you we’ll make it happen.” Kevin spoke up before they had a chance to stop him. 

“I’ve always wanted to go to Disneyworld.” The girls stared at him. “What, I never got the chance as a kid.” Gwen smiled slightly sadly at Kevin, Jen laughed. The general nodded.

“Done!” It took him less than an hour to procure three day passes to Disney along with a luxury suite at one of the hotels. It even included fresh clothes, and a new jacket and baseball cap for Jen to wear so she wouldn’t be recognized as easily. They crashed in the suite and availed themselves of the offered luxuries. They spent their Sunday in the Magic Kingdom. Jen insisted they ride the Pirates ride twice. They flew home after the fireworks, laden with Disney merchandise. It didn’t surprise Jen to learn that Aladdin was Kevin’s favorite. Gwen’s was Elsa, and Jen herself favored Rapunzel. It had been a fun day and a good distraction from the doom that loomed as Monday dawned. 

Jen stared up at the doors of her high school. Julie stepped up next to her looking at her friend with some sympathy. She tapped her and Jen jumped. She sighed seeing who it was. 

“You’re going to have to go in sometime.” Julie pointed out as Jen kept glaring at the door. 

“Not true, I could drop out. Or go homeschooled. That could work. Take classes on the Xternet. Better than the American education system.” Julie laughed lightly. 

“If you were going to do that you wouldn’t be here.” Julie pointed out and Jen sighed. “Come on, you were face to face with a nuclear bomb like yesterday. This can’t be that bad.” 

“You don’t understand. I can usually hit my problems. Not this one this one I have to face.” She sighed as she tilted her head back and fidgeted with the ring on her necklace. She took a deep breath. “At least if things go badly I can go XCLR8 and run.” Julie shook her head. 

“I think you’ll find not everyone believes people like Harangue.” Jen rolled her eyes as her friend entered the school ahead of her. Jen gritted her teeth and stepped over the threshold. It felt like stepping into Vilgax’s ship, but worse. She wouldn’t fight regular people unless they really deserved it. She could feel the eyes boring into her as she walked down the hallway. Maybe she should have ditched her jacket at home. She made it to her locker before she was actually waylaid. Cash and JT were standing in front of it. She stared them down, cautious. She had no idea what to do. All the conversations had stopped. She looked around. JT moved first bringing his hands together into a round of applause that was echoed around the hall. 

“You’ve saved a lot of lives around here. You’re alright Tennyson.” Cash stated and Jen could have hugged him on the spot as the sentiment was echoed around the room along with renewed clapping and cheers.


	5. Off Planet

Jen had never been more happy to have a lawyer for an uncle. He had taken over the minutia of the media harassing a sixteen year old, alongside a few Plumber lawyers that were apparently on retainer. The question of making Earth an open system was now in wide and very public debate. Jen wanted nothing more than to get away, just for a few days. And as luck would have it an opportunity arose to do just that. She’d received a transmission from her friend Reiny, Highbreed Supreme. His child had been born a few days ago and he requested her presence at the Highbreed equivalent of a christening party. She wasn’t exactly sure what it was but she jumped on the opportunity to get away for a few days. Kevin and Gwen could hold down the fort while she was gone, this was technically a diplomatic mission after all. Many species were still suspicious of the Highbreed and often suspicion could lead to violence. If Jen could help them avoid that by simply being present for a party she would do so. 

She’d been planning for when the baby Highbreed arrived since Reiny had asked her to be the child’s godparent. She had enlisted her Auntie Natalie in helping her create something that fit an Earth tradition. She’d cleared it with Reiny first of course since it was a bit odd by Highbreed standards. But between the two humans they’d put together a very large teddy bear. Jen had explained it as something the human children used to help them avoid nightmares and comfort them when they were scared. So one Friday after school Jen loaded a teddy bear nearly as big as she was dressed in a plush approximation of a Plumber suit onto the Rustbucket 3. Kevin had been loath to hand her the controls, especially when she was going alone but he did agree that she needed the time away from Earth while everything calmed down. 

She arrived to quite a bit of fanfare. Reiny and his Mate were waiting for her along with an honor guard. The baby Highbreed turned out to be a boy, with light blue skin like his mother and the green arms of his father. Jen smiled at the child which was almost as long as her torso. Her gift was less flashy than others but seen as more sentimental and carefully chosen. A charm to defend the child in his sleep. Jen grinned a bit sheepishly as the crowds cheered. 

“What’s his name?” Reiny looked over at her, his multiple red eyes seeming to soften slightly. 

“We have chosen to honor a friend of yours in naming our child. We have called him Valadis.” Jen felt tears prick at her eyes and nodded to her friend. When Ethan had introduced himself to Reiny, the one time they had met, he’d done what Kevin had done and introduced himself last name first. Reiny had called him Valadis EthanValadis. So the confusion was understandable. She sort of preferred it this way though. She wasn’t sure she’d have been able to hold herself together if they had named him Ethan.

“I think he’d have liked that.” Reiny laid a hand on her shoulder and nodded to her. 

Say what you will about the Highbreed, they knew how to party. Fireworks lit the sky to celebrate the child of their leader. Food was spread out for everyone. Jen, as the child’s godparent, was given a spot of honor. Drinks were passed around and the party went on the entire day and well into the night. Jen managed to slip outside onto a balcony during the celebration. She had her drink still in her hand and nearly spilled it when she jumped as someone cleared their throat behind her.

“My apologies JenJen Tennyson. I did not mean to startle you.” Jen shook her head. 

“It’s fine Reiny.” He stepped up next to her and they looked out over the sea of partying Highbreed and then up at the fireworks. 

“Are you quite well JenJen Tennyson?” Jen looked up at him. His eyes frowned at her. “I have heard of what became of your Mate. Losing one so close to you can destroy even one as strong as you.” Jen kept staring up at the fireworks. They were both quiet for a moment. 

“I miss him.” Jen looked down into her drink. Reiny stayed quiet. Jen took a sip of her drink, which had the slight burn of alcohol but wasn’t nearly as strong as the Appoplexian Whiskey she’d had before. “Things back home are going nuts. Everyone found out who I am and a lot of people aren’t taking the truth about life outside of Earth well.” Reiny nodded slightly. 

“Your people are still young. They will learn, as mine have. But your people have an advantage we did not have.” Jen looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.

“What’s that?” 

“They have you to guide them.” Jen shook her head slightly. 

“Most of them don’t seem to want it.” 

“I don’t recall that ever stopping you before.” Jen looked down into her drink again. Reiny kept talking. “I seem to recall claiming to not need your help when we were trapped together. And you helped anyway. If you had not done so I would not be where I am today. None of my people would be here. I would not be a father. You proved to me, to the whole universe that one person can make every difference. I know in time you will prove it to your people too.” Jen smiled slightly. 

“Thanks Reiny.” He inclined his head to her. 

“Shall we rejoin the festivities?” She grinned and followed him back to the party. 

Jen arrived back on Earth Sunday night with a very minor hangover. She pulled her car out of the Rustbucket 3 and drove into Bellwood. She stopped at Mr. Smoothies, deciding that she didn’t want to deal with people yet she went through the drive through. The girl behind the counter, Patricia a regular on shift at this location, smiled at her and handed her two smoothies. Jen frowned. 

“I only ordered one.” 

“I know but you save my dad and little brother a while back. Second one’s on the house.” Jen thanked her and paid for her first smoothie. She drove home and was relieved to find that there were no news vans waiting for her. She pulled into the garage and smiled at her dad’s car parked in its usual spot. She entered the house and tossed her keys onto the small armoire where they usually stayed. 

“Mom, dad I’m home!” Her mother popped her head around the corner and grinned at her daughter, blonde hair bouncing. 

“There’s my superhero!” Jen smiled slightly. Her father stepped into the room from the main hallway. 

“Oh good! We’ve got something for you!” Jen raised an eyebrow. They would have arrived home just yesterday. Before she could ask what he meant he held up one of her mothers large reusable grocery bags. It seemed to be brimming with envelopes. She blinked as she set down her smoothies. “Your Grandpa Max is having most of your mail sent to the base so it can be checked over just in case. I think it’s a bit paranoid of him but here’s what got through their checks.” The fact that not all of it had told Jen that the paranoia was likely justified. But she kept her mouth shut as she sat down and took the bag. It was full to the brim with what turned out to be mostly fan mail, though a few of the pieces were from extended family members. 

Aunt Vera had sent her a handmade card thanking her for dealing with extraterrestrial threats. Jen snorted at the phrasing, it was how she’d told Aunt Vera she was spending her summer when they’d visited her just after Jen got the Omnitrix. Most of the cards were done by people she’d saved and she had to smile at a lot of them. They all seemed to think that Harangue, who’d gotten himself a cable spot since the last time he’d covered alien activity, was far too harsh on her. There was also a package from Eddie Grand Smith, along with a card. That one she read a bit closer. 

‘Good to hear your Grandpa pulled through. I was sorry to hear about your friend Ethan. If you need anything I’m a call away. Gregory has settled down at the library. Even made friends with one of the older residence. He’s a sweet kid. I’ve included something I commissioned for you I hope you like it. All my love, Eddie.’ She set the note aside and pulled open the box. There was another inside wrapped in green paper and gold leaf. She pulled it out and tore into the paper. Inside she found a model of Ripjaws set in resin to look as though she was swimming in the trench where Jen had saved Eddie and Gwen from the robot squids. The detail was exquisite, she could make out individual grey scales on the alien mermaids skin. She grinned. 

Ripjaws wasn’t pretty, well not by human standards. She was a Piscciss Volann after all with a mostly humanoid body, though she could meld her legs together into a powerful tail. But her skin was covered in a sickly white scaling. She wore something that resembled the top half of a swimsuit, the Omnitrix symbol resting just above her heart. Jen put the small model on her bedside table and called Eddie that night, thanking him for it. She went to bed feeling a bit more relaxed about the whole situation.


	6. Double Trouble

Jen was running late for Julie’s tennis match, her best friend was going to kill her. She had to take a detour to stop the Forever Knights from breaking into a museum across from the stadium. Apparently with the reveal of Jen’s identity the Knights had lost all trace of subtlety they ever had. They were rolling up on the museum in a literal tank in broad daylight. Jen was worried about what they were after but had no time to spare. Her attempt to slip quietly into the stadium did not go well. She had to practically fight her way to her seat between Gwen and Kevin. People tried to shove pens and markers into her hands to get her autograph. She managed to get to her seat only because of Gwen’s infamous glare that warned off the crowd. She hunkered down and grinned sheepishly at Julie. Julie rolled her eyes but waved back. Jen had apparently made it in time to see the final serve. Julie won the match and as the other people made their way to the food court Jen vaulted over the divider and down to Julie. 

“I am so sorry I was late.” The words left her mouth before Julie could speak. “The Forever Knight attacked the museum and I…” Julie raised her hand to forestall the explanation. 

“I get that. At least you’re here now. I really appreciate it Jen.” Jen nodded and Julie made her way into the locker rooms. Jen leaned in the doorway as Kevin and Gwen joined her. Gwen frowned as Jen pulled her phone out of her pocket. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Twenty bucks says she looking up times for the new Sumo Slammers movie.” Kevin joked. Jen shot him a dirty look. 

“Jokes on you I was at the midnight premiere.” She quipped. “I’m texting Pierce. If the Knights are after something in the museum they’ll try again.” Kevin frowned. 

“You wanna ditch the game, go see if we can catch them in the act?” He asked and Gwen frowned at both of them. 

“No! You promised you’d be here for Julie!” Jen sighed. She really did need to find out what the Knights were after. Ever since she and Kia Green had discovered a mysterious set of books in a castle buried in Nevada the Knights had been upping their game. Kevin shrugged. 

“Too bad you can’t be in two places. I’m gonna grab a corndog.” Jen frowned slightly as he walked away. 

“I’m gonna run to the restroom before the next set.” She told Gwen and slipped into the room delighted to see an actual lock on the door. She slid it into place and transformed into Echo-Echo. She split into two. They nodded at each other. “Ok, we set our Ultimatrixes for Human.” They both did so and in a flash of green there were two Jennifer Tennyson’s standing there. The first smiled at the second.

“Oh! It actually worked!” The second scoffed. 

“Of course it did!” The first nodded. 

“I’ll stay here to keep our promise to Julie, you can go with Kevin and Pierce to investigate the Forever Knights!” The second Jen shrugged. 

“Whatever as long as I get to hit something.” The first Jen slipped out of the bathroom and rejoined Gwen making their way to their seats. The second ambled out of the restroom and over to Kevin who was munching on a corndog. 

“Wanna go bust some Forever Knights?” Kevin frowned looking down at Jen. 

“Didn’t I just see you with Gwen?” Jen shrugged. 

“Whatever I’ll go alone if you don’t want to come.” She turned and walked away. Kevin frowned deeper but followed her. Pierce met them at the museum, but he was alone. Jen frowned as he carefully slipped into the car, careful not to tear the upholstery with his spikes. He’d forgone his ID mask today. Despite Jen’s best efforts his face had popped up a few times in the press too. 

“What happened to bringing people with you?” Jen sounded annoyed Pierce frowned.

“Everyone else was busy. There are negotiations happening with...” Jen cut him off with a roll of her eyes. 

“Whatever, they wouldn’t have been much use anyway.” Pierce and Kevin both frowned shooting each other a confused look. Jen might not enjoy the more bureaucratic Plumbers but she’d never called any of the ones currently at the base useless like this before. 

“You doing ok Jen?” Pierce asked. She shot him a look and he raised his eyebrows. 

“Do I look like I want to talk about feelings right now?” Pierce settled back into his seat. Kevin frowned. 

“Thought I was supposed to be the resident asshole.” He joked trying to lighten the mood. Jen’s steely look turned to him.

“No you’re the resident criminal who’s boning my cousin. Or at least working up the courage to get that far.” Kevin blinked. 

“I’m sorry what?” Jen glanced down at her fingernails. 

“You heard me, you don’t have the courage to take the next step with my cousin, she intimidates you. Is it the powers or the attitude? My guess would be both.” Pierce and Kevin stared at Jen. 

Less than a block away things were going swimmingly. Jen clapped politely as Julie scored another point. Gwen smiled at her cousin. 

“Good to see you enjoying the game. I’m glad you decided to keep your promise to Julie. I know the Knights are important but you do need a life outside of your hero work.” Jen nodded. 

“You’re absolutely right. Though sometimes I worry that neither of us have the social life we should.” Gwen frowned. 

“How do you mean?” She whispered as Julie’s opponent served the ball again. 

“Well with all the work we do neither of us really has the time to pursue other things. I may not be emotionally ready to step back out into the dating scene but you and Kevin seem to be doing well but I’m worried that al you have is work and I don’t want that to be the case. It’s why I’ve been trying to distance myself from the two of you, so you have some time alone away from the bombardment of the press to deal with.” Gwen stared at her cousin as Julie scored again. 

“What?” The redhead shook her head at the brunette trying to process everything that had just been dumped in her lap. Jen nodded, more focused on the match than on Gwen. 

“I know I’ve been distant since the accident.” The tears building in Jen’s eyes told Gwen which accident she was talking about, the one that had killed Ethan. “But you’re my family, I value your opinion and your happiness. If there is anything I can do to help I will, all you have to do is ask.” Gwen stared at her cousin. 

“Are you feeling ok?” 

“I feel fine, why?” Gwen shook her head. 

“You hate opening up like this, especially in a public places.” Gwen looked around, the people directly behind them tried to look like they weren’t listening in to their conversation. Jen frowned. 

“Sometimes it’s hard to deal with everything I’m responsible for. I have the weight of worlds on my shoulders. It’s not easy but it shouldn’t be about me.” Gwen nodded pulling out her phone. She hit Kevin’s speed dial. 

“Hey Gwen can I call you back?” 

“No! Jen’s acting really weird.” Gwen hissed into her phone. There was a pause. 

“What are you talking about? Jen’s here with me.” Gwen glanced at the Jen sitting next to her. 

“We may have a problem then. Cause she’s also sitting here with me.” Silence reigned on the other side of the phone followed by a large explosion. One that echoed even to the stadium as murmurers broke out in the crowd. Jen’s phone rang as the referee called a time out. 

“So sorry I need to take this.”


	7. Meeting Of The Minds

If Kevin hadn’t been running for his life he would have questioned why there were two Jens standing outside the museum when there had only been one that ran out ahead of him. Soon Upchuck and Big Chill were both fighting the Forever Knight Urich in his alien armor but they seemed less coordinated than Jen usually was. They frowned at each other. 

“I think it’s time…” One said.

“For a meeting of the minds.” The other finished and both switched their Ultimatrixes to Echo-Echo before melding back into one and green lights flashed. Jen blinked as though slightly confused about why she was where she was. She had just enough time to dodge a large metal fist. The Forever Knight laughed. 

“I see you’ve chosen to go back to your singular self but has no one told you there’s safety in numbers?” She shrugged. 

“You would think so yeah. Not always true though.” She flicked the dial on the Ultimatrix and slapped it down. Green lights flashed and stayed as her Anodite form materialized around her. She giggled as she took to the air and spun around the armor leaving a trail of green energy behind her. He tripped over it as Jen’s green energy hair grew and spread ripping chunks out of the armor. He tried to fire off a laser but Jen raised blackish green hands. 

“Contego!” She shouted and a green shield blossomed. Her mana hair ripped into the armor, leaving the knight free. He took off. Jen pointed at him with one hand dropping the shield. “Appendaga Regoria!” The knight froze, floating a few inches above the ground. Jen grinned a glowing smile. 

“Go ahead and cuff him Pierce. Careful though, the spell breaks when you touch him.” Pierce nodded and knocked the immobilized Knight out of the air and cuffed him quickly as Kevin called for the Plumbers to pick up the offender. Pierce glanced at this transformation and grinned. 

“What are you calling this one?” Jen thought for a moment, floating a few feet above the ground. 

“Stardust!” She grinned and spun in the air. Kevin grinned slightly then he shook his head. 

“At least you seem to be studying that book Gwen gave you.” Jen nodded and pulled that same book out of thin air. 

“It’s gotten to the point I can summon it in this transformation whenever.” She landed and green lights flashed again as the Plumbers arrived and loaded up the Forever Knights and trashed armor up. Pierce left with them and Kevin grabbed the back of Jen’s shirt and dragged her into his car. He pointed a finger at Jen, very close to her nose. 

“Your cousin and I are very happy. And for your information I am respecting her, so you can take your opinion on when we need to ‘bone’ and stuff them!” He turned to the steering wheel. Jen buckled her seatbelt and buried her head in her hands.

“Fuck I may have said way too much while I was two people.” Kevin nodded. 

“Yeah, but you get to explain when Gwen’s here to yell at you too.” Jen nodded and kept quiet as they returned to the stadium. During their fight the final set had ended and Julie had been declared the victor. Gwen had stuck around to watch the game and both girls glared at Jen as she and Kevin made their way to the bottom of the stands. Julie raised an eyebrow and Jen launched into her explanation. She’d had no idea that splitting herself as Echo-Echo would cause a personality spilt too. Gwen nodded. 

“That explains the easy emotional unloading you dropped on me.” Jen buried her head in her hands Gwen patted her on the back. “It’s not a bad thing, more a lot to process.” Jen groaned. 

“It’s like splitting myself completely tossed any filters out the window.” Kevin laughed. 

“That’s true.” Gwen glanced at him questioningly. “She essentially called the Plumbers a coward to Pierce’s face, and made some other suggestions.” He coughed. Gwen looked between the two. Jen glared at Kevin. 

“I said Kevin was too much of a coward to take your relationship to the next level. I think the wording I used was that you two needed to bone.” Both of them went bright red. Julie burst out laughing. 

“That in and of itself might be enough for me to forgive you missing my match. Come on you owe me dinner.” Jen nodded and scampered away from her embarrassed teammates as quickly as she could dragging Julie along behind her. Gwen coughed slightly as Kevin avoided meeting her eyes. Neither of them spoke as they made their way out of the stadium.


	8. Mystery

Jen arrived at Gwen’s house the next day after school. Gwen had insisted she come over as soon as she could. She opened the door with her key and smiled at her uncle. 

“Hey Uncle Frank! Thank you so much!” She hugged her uncle and he patted her on the back. 

“We Tennyson’s stick together.” Jen grinned. Frank pointed upstairs. “Your cousin is in her fortress of solitude. She said to send you up when you got here.” Jen nodded and waved as she raced up the stairs to her cousin’s room. She knocked and entered after a moment. Gwen was sitting in a chalk drawn circle of complex sigils. In front of her floated a familiar book. It was bound in bright green leather with the familiar hourglass of the Plumbers embossed on the cover and was, as of yet, unopenable. Jen and Kai Green had discovered it and another book in the remains of a buried Forever Knight castle in the Nevada desert partially in the reservation on which Kai and her grandfather lived. The castle had been flooded when they took the books and seemed to have vanished completely into the sand and rock. The book lit up and Gwen swore as it dropped to the ground still closed with a magical clasp. 

“Shit I was hoping that would work.” Jen cleared her throat and Gwen looked up at her from her spot on the floor. The redhead stood and picked up the green book. “Oh good. I got a package from Kai last night.” Jen raised an eyebrow. Gwen held up the other book they’d discovered at the castle. This one was bound in plain leather and undecorated save for the Forever Knight symbol embossed on the cover. 

“They finished the translation?” Jen asked as Gwen handed her the book. Gwen nodded. 

“Managed to get a tentative date off it too. Medieval era, some time between the eleven and twelve hundreds.” Jen raised an eyebrow. Gwen handed her a field notebook with the translation in it. “It’s a lot to work through but it’s definitely a journal, of a knight named George.” Jen flicked through the notebook, written in Kai’s curling writing. 

“Was that why you called me over?” Gwen shook her head.

“No, well not entirely. I had an idea. Turn into Stardust.” Jen nodded setting down the books and flicking the Ultimatrix dial over to her Anodite form. Soon the shimmering greenish black form stood before her cousin. Gwen motioned for her to join her in the chalk drawn circle. Jen did so, her feet never quite touching the hardwood floor. “Now the sealing spell on the book is too strong for me alone but maybe the two of us could pull it off.” But Jen wasn’t paying attention to her cousin she was gazing, blank white eyes fixed on the book in her cousin’s hand. Gwen frowned and waved her hand in Jen’s line of vision. But her eyes didn’t stray from the book. Gwen felt a tug and let go of the book as green energy wrapped around it. The book sailed into the chalk circle which began to glow. Gwen stared. She’d never seen this happen before. The seal on the book was glowing brighter too, with the same sort of energy that flowed off the unusually green Anodite. Jen touched the book with a single finger and screamed. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Flashes of images passed in front of Jen’s eyes. A war torn field, thatched roofed houses set aflame, a partially destroyed castle that was strangely familiar, bodies littering cobblestone streets. The face of a man in his late thirties with blonde hair shockingly blue eyes and a beard. He wore a helmet and armor and swung a gleaming sword at a creature that radiated power. Bright red eyes that seemed to cut through her soul fixed on her and the beast hissed. A voice she knew all too well echoed in her mind. 

‘Trust no one!’ She screamed. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gwen acted fast. Snatching up the broom in the corner of her room she struck it through the chalk of the circle breaking the focusing spell and the lights dimmed the book dropped and Jen turned back into herself in a flash of green lights. She was trembling, staring wildly at the book on the ground in front of her which remained stubbornly closed. Gwen reached out to Jen and the brunette jumped and staggered away, a wild look in her eyes like she was seeing something else. She blinked and seemed to recognize that she was in her cousin’s room. She blinked a few more times. 

“What did you see?” Jen blinked at her again and shook her head. 

“I…” 

‘Trust no one!’ The words echoed in the brunette’s mind again and she let out a breath. 

“No idea.” She lied rubbing her eyes to hide the telltale twitch. Gwen took her back downstairs for some tea. Jen remained tight lipped about whatever the book had shown her but refused to recreate the experiment. She left the green book with Gwen, eyeing it suspiciously as she took the regularly bound book and the translation Kai and Gregory had finished with her when she left. Neither of them noticed the small crack in the seal, minute and nearly invisible but most definitely there. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Jen sat down with Kai’s handwritten notes and a mug of hot chocolate that night and began to read. 

‘This day marks the beginning of what I fear to be a war that will last beyond time itself. The beast is fierce and kills indiscriminately. I thought for a time I would be safe here, I had found love again, our child born of that love did not bare my curse. A new curse befell this family of mine. The curse of the dragon.’ Jen frowned. There was a question mark scribbled in by the word ‘dragon’. Written next to it was the word Dagon, with the annotation that in the original text the word never appeared as ‘dragon’ always as ‘Dagon’. 

‘Maybe a spelling mistake?’ Was written in the annotation in a cramped handwriting that must have been Gregory’s. Jen frowned though and turned to her laptop, which thanks to Kevin, had an uplink to her files at Plumber base and the Xternet. She pulled up the photos and scans of the tapestries they’d managed to catalogue from the castle before it had gone underwater by some kind of spell trigger. She found the one she was looking for quickly. 

It depicted a great black beast that looked very much like a dragon. Around his feet was a melee surrounding the two central figures of the piece. They were a man and a woman. The man was dressed in shining armor and the woman in a flowing gown of green with black trim. Her hair was long flowing brown, her skin pale, her eyes flooded green. Between them they held a gleaming sword. Jen stared at the sword, it looked just like the one from the vision the book had shown her. She frowned shaking her head and looked at the writing at the bottom of the tapestry. She frowned and pulled out her phone. She texted both Gregory and Kai. 

‘Video conference? Need to talk about the translation.’ Her laptop beeped and she answered the call, this was from Gregory though Kai quickly conferenced in. It was dark in the back of both of their videos. Jen smacked herself in the forehead. 

“Right time zones are a thing. Sorry we can do this tomorrow.” Kai laughed. 

“I’m free. I’m only a few hours from Gregory anyway. You good to talk about our little project Greg?” The blonde ex Forever Knight nodded. 

“Of course. I’m at work but I can talk they don’t mind. You had a question about the translation?” Jen grimaced. 

“Not a question. Well sort of.” She ran her hands through her hair. Kai raised an eyebrow. 

“You doing ok? We heard your ID got blown all over the internet, bet you haven’t had any private time since.” Jen nodded. 

“You’d be mostly right. But that’s not why I called.” She pulled up the file and sent the photo in the chat. “Remember this tapestry?” Both of them nodded. “The writing at the bottom, what did the knights tell you it was Gregory?” He frowned. 

“The fae who gave the first Forever Knight the sword, that was his language. The knight saw him write it down after the dragon was defeated.” Kai frowned. 

“Running on confused here guys. Why is the tapestry important?” Jen held up her hand. 

“I’m getting to that. We should catch Kai up on this legend of yours though.” Gregory nodded and told the other girl all about the story of the dragon fighting against the first Forever Knight, the fae being gifting him with a sword of untold powers. Then the appearance of a changeling who healed him when the battle seemed lost. With her help the swords power came to life and the dragon was defeated but the changeling vanished upon its defeat. Kai raised her eyebrows. 

“I’m still lost as to how these things match up.” Jen nodded. 

“The tapestry is from the story.” Gregory nodded at her words. “But your ‘fae being’? Not magical.” Gregory frowned. 

“How can you tell, Kai told me the other book is magically sealed, perhaps a leftover from the swordsmith.” Jen shook her head. 

“The writing is Galvan. A hyper intelligent alien race, the creator of the Omnitrix he’s Galvan. I took a few lessons on written Galvan. Here’s the kicker though, it says ‘The Defeat of the Dagon’.” Kai frowned. 

“No chance you’re mistranslating it?” Jen shook her head at Kai.

“I’ve looked it over three times. Both tapestries too, they both say Dagon not dragon. Ever heard that mentioned before Gregory?” The blonde frowned. 

“No, every legend I’ve ever heard has always called the thing the first Knight defeated the dragon.” He paused looking up away from his screen. “Hello George, were you looking for a specific book?” Jen frowned slightly Kai shrugged. 

“One of the residents. He’s always in the library.” Kai grinned. “Sweet old guy, bit weird though.” Gregory was talking again. Both girls fell silent. 

“Finished already?” He laughed. “Oh well I’m talking to my friend Kai, the one who was here a few weeks ago? And my friend Jen.” There was a muffled speaker and Gregory raised an eyebrow. “You want to say hello? Sure why not?” He turned the camera on his computer to face an old man. He was stooped with age and his long grey hair was braided out of his way, his beard neatly trimmed. He wore a pressed shirt and comfortable slacks. He had bright blue eyes that crinkled slightly as he grinned at them. 

“Lovely to meet you ladies.” His eyes seemed fixed on Jen though it was hard to tell over the webcam. “I simply wanted to return my library book to Gregory here.” He handed over the book. Gregory frowned. 

“You didn’t want another one? You usually want the next in the series after you finish.” The man nodded. 

“No rush my dear boy. I’m not going anywhere for a while yet.” Gregory pulled a book out from under the desk and handed it over. George’s eyes twinkled slightly. “You had it waiting for me?” Gregory nodded. 

“Of course you tend to finish them quickly.” George’s smile widened.

“This is why you’re my favorite Gregory.” He bowed to the webcam and winked at the girls. “Until we meet again Miss Tennyson.” With that he walked away. George righted the camera. Kai was frowning. 

“You never told him her last name.” Gregory blinked as if just now realizing that. Jen shrugged. 

“He’s probably seen it on the news. Haven’t you heard? I’m a one woman alien invasion.” Kai laughed and Gregory nodded slightly. 

“I suppose. But the translation?” Jen nodded. 

“Definitely Dagon, not dragon. What that means I have no idea.” Kai shrugged. 

“Maybe a mistake?” Jen grimaced. 

“Could be but unlikely. If the knight saw a Galvan write it… Galvan’s have to be right about everything, mostly because they are. I get that there’s always a margin for error but with Galvan’s it’s too small to allow things like typing errors.” She ran her hands through her hair again. “But the knight who wrote the journal,” She flipped it to the page in the original book “he wrote dagon too. It doesn’t make much sense.” She sighed. 

“You look like you need sleep.” Kai commented softly. She’d kept up with the news stories about Jen since they had begun and they had been pretty non stop. Gregory nodded. 

“Indeed, perhaps a nap would help clear your mind. And you can one at this with a fresh mind later.” Jen nodded slightly. 

“That does sound good. Gwen’s still trying to bust the seal on the other book, no luck yet. I’ll search the Plumber database for the Dagon later. Thanks for listening guys.” They both nodded and the call ended. Jen scooped up the books and deposited them in her room. She flopped down on her bed and kicked off her shoes. She was asleep in moments, dreaming of the knight from her vision and his startlingly blue eyes.


	9. Threatened

After stopping Rojo’s gang from robbing a train Jen wasn’t looking forward to the mass of press and fans that waited when the train pulled up. She was able to avoid the mass of people thanks to Grandpa Max landing the Rustbucket 3 behind the train. They boarded quickly and took off just as fast. Jen raced to the control console. 

“Thank you so mu…” She trialed off as she spotted Grandpa Max. His arm was in a sling and Pierce was driving. “What happened?” Pierce looked up at them. There were dark circles under his eyes, a matching set under Grandpa Max’s. Max sighed. 

“I wanted to keep this from you as long as possible. But now I have no choice.” He sighed again rubbing his injured shoulder. Gwen stepped forward her hands glowing. Max sighed as she began to heal him. “Ever since your identity got out your old enemies have been coming out of the woodwork. They’ve been targeting the people you care about. The ones who can’t defend themselves.” Jen felt her heart sink and her knees shook. Kevin guided her into a chair. 

“Mom and dad! Are they?” Max shook his head. 

“They’re fine. Between Pierce and I we managed to stop nine attacks over the past week or so. But I realized last night they aren’t disorganized like I initially thought. It’s actually well planned. I wanted to keep you out of it but that’s not really an option anymore.” Jen glared. 

“You should have told me I could have helped.” 

“You have too much on your plate as is. But we believe we know who’s behind the attacks.” Max pushed a button on the console and pulled up a picture of a greyish clown with dirty red hair and a large blue nose. Jen growled under her breath. 

“Zombozo! That two bit clown! I will end him!” She leapt up from her seat and started pacing. Kevin frowned he had never seen her this wound before. She kept pacing, fiddling with the Ultimatrix as she did. Gwen seemed to be thinking. 

“I don’t remember him. He was at Mount Rushmore but I don’t remember the first time we fought.” Jen nodded to her cousin. 

“You wouldn’t. You were on a literal emotional high through that whole thing. Basic run down, he’s an emotional vampire.” Kevin frowned. 

“So like Morningstar?” Jen shook her head. 

“Not quite. Darkstar feeds on power, literal power. Zombozo feeds on the chemical output in the brain, not the electrical. Happiness is best, I’m betting serotonin tastes great. He likes fear too. But anger that’s something he can’t stomach.” Kevin nodded.

“Then let’s give him food poisoning.” The rest of the team looked at him, Jen incredulously. Gwen seemed a little disgusted. Pierce shook his head and Max raised an eyebrow. “Ok so it wasn’t my best material but let’s put down the clown!” Jen nodded but Max spoke up. 

“Sandra and Carl’s safety has to come first.” That was how they ended up splitting after confronting not just Zombozo but Charmcaster and Vulkanus too, and stopping them from killing her father. They trailed Carl to the store and back in case the trio of villains decided to try again. They’d left Pierce guarding her mother. The next day found Gwen accompanying Sandra on her outing for groceries, though this would become quite a bit harder come Monday when two of the team had to head back to school. Though at the moment that was not Gwen’s biggest problem. Zombozo had gotten the drop on her and the three villains had made off with Jen’s mom. They’d left her behind though, Zombozo and Vulkanus preventing Charmcaster from killing her. So she could deliver the message. Jen was beyond angry and for a moment Gwen was certain she saw her cousin’s eyes flash bright green for just a millisecond. 

“You lost her! You were supposed to protect her!” Kevin stepped between them. 

“It was three against one! Gwen’s lucky they didn’t kill her.” Jen deflated like a popped balloon. Gwen pulled her cousin in close. 

“I can’t lose anyone else.” Jen said it under her breath, like she hadn’t meant for anyone to hear her. 

“We’ll get her back. I can call Pierce, he’ll set the Plumbers tracking her, and Gwen can use her powers to track her.” Gwen nodded but Jen pulled back and shook her head. 

“There’s one good thing about Zombozo. He’s predictable. There’s an abandoned carnival outside of Bellwood, we’ll start there.” Kevin nodded and Gwen was already on her way to the door. Jen took her car, Gwen hopping in with Kevin. Kevin frowned as Jen peeled out of the driveway and shot down the road at speeds. He got what she was feeling though. When he’d gotten her call that his mom was sitting in her living room looking scared he had felt a moment of pure dread, he could only imagine what he’d be feeling if she’d actually been taken by one of his enemies, much less three. It didn’t take them long to arrive at the carnival. They knew they were in the right place when one of the games attacked them. Unfortunately the place was huge. Jen was insistent they split up, she wanted her mom found as fast as possible. Gwen pulled two bracelets out of her bag and handed one to Kevin and one to Jen.

“In case you run into Charmcaster before I do. It won’t protect you long but it should protect you for a little bit.” Kevin nodded and slipped it on, Jen had already taken off down her chosen path. The two of them frowned after her. 

“I’m worried what’ll happen if she gets to Zombozo first.” Gwen said, she still looked guilty about losing Sandra Tennyson in the first place. Kevin nodded. 

“You and me both. Good luck.” He pecked her on the cheek and took off down his path. Gwen nodded and raced down the center isle of the games. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jen was almost disappointed that she got Vulkanus but became more annoyed than anything when he summoned his minions. She went ultimate Big Chill and twirled once, fire spewing from insectoid lips leaving everything it touched frozen solid. Including Vulkanus, she only left his head free, freezing his neck so he was trapped inside his suit. He shuddered. 

“Either you tell me where my mother is right now or I lower your temperature until you get hypothermia. Do you know what hypothermia does to a body? I do. It’s not pretty.” Vulkanus quailed under cold green eyes.

“Zombozo has her in the big top! The silver haired chick is at the roller coaters!” 

“Not anymore.” Kevin spoke stepping into the hall. He was no longer wearing the bracelet Gwen had given them. “She teleported out when I tricked her into setting one of the rides spinning into her. She’s long gone.” Big Chill’s wings drooped. 

“That means!” Kevin realized what that meant as the necrofriggian phased through the ceiling. He smashed his way out of the building and raced after the bright red form of Ultimate Big Chill toward the big top. They were not expecting to find Gwen and Sandra sitting outside, Gwen munching on cotton candy. Jen ran into her mother’s arms still the bright red moth. Sandra hugged her daughter as she transformed back to normal. 

“You’re ok! Where’s Zombozo!” Kevin was wondering the exact same thing. Gwen smirked. 

“We won’t have to worry about him for a while. We… came to an understanding.” Jen didn’t question it, just happy her mother was unhurt. She drove her mother home, being sure to actually follow the rules of the road this time. Kevin and Gwen stayed at Jen’s house that night, Kevin crashed on the couch and Gwen in the spare room. Once Jen was asleep and Kevin was snoring softly on the couch Sandra slipped into her niece’s current room. Gwen was sitting on the bed waiting for her. 

“Do you want to talk about it dear?” Gwen shrugged and let out a long slow breath. 

“Not a whole lot to talk about.” That wasn’t strictly true. Sandra had gotten to see the full potential Gwen was capable of, a power that scared even her. But a threat that would warn off those wishing to harm her non combatant family. Hopefully it would be enough. Sandra smiled softly at her niece. 

“We both know that’s not true. But you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I just wanted to say thank you. I feel a bit better about Jen being a superhero knowing you’ve got her back you know. You and your ruffian boy.” Gwen grinned. 

“He’s not so bad. He’s a big softy under all the walls.” Sandra smiled and pulled her niece into a hug. 

“Be that as it may I will be leaving the door open and Carl and I are sleeping with ours open. We’ll hear any funny business so be warned.” Gwen snorted loudly and Kevin grunted on the couch in the next room turning over and settling back down after a moment. 

“Don’t worry Auntie Sandra I don’t plan on waking him up.” Sandra nodded and hugged her niece again. 

“I may not understand the world you and Jen live in, aliens and magic and all that; but I’m here for both of you if you need me.” Gwen hugged her tighter and nodded. 

“Thank you Auntie Sandra.” Sandra patted her comfortingly on the back and let her sleep. She didn’t get much, she could still feel the full Anodite crawling under her skin, wanting to be set loose. It had been so easy to do. Maybe if she could just get it under control. But she was worried what Kevin and Jen would think. They had been so defensive when Grandma Verdona tried to force this on her, not that it hadn’t been appreciated. But with that power at her fingertips Gwen was worried she might lose something precious and not even notice it was gone. She lay in the bed for a long time contemplating the nature of humanity and how easy it had been to threaten Zombozo with death and worse for what he’d tried to do to her auntie, to Jen’s mother. She rolled over and squeezed her eyes shut trying not to think about it.


	10. Alternate

Getting tricked into helping Harangue get her moves for a literal killer robot well it was a low blow to say the least. Jen was not happy about it. Her secret identity had been all over the news for the past two months and Harangue seemed determined to use her for his own benefit. So she took her Uncle Franks advice and took a TV interview, her first, as damage control. So of course everything had to go wrong. The interview itself was going really well then the light started. It grew brighter until it was the only thing she could see, she felt as though she was racing along at lightspeed. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Gwen stared at the TV in disbelief. One second Jen had been smiling shyly at the interviewer, a pretty woman with black hair who was on the channel seven news, the next a bright light filled the room and when it cleared Jen was gone without a trace. Her phone rang. She picked it up. 

“You saw that right?” Kevin’s voice came over the phone. 

“Saw, working on believing. I don’t think she did that.” Gwen was glad she had a dvr, she was going through the interview frame by frame. The very last shot they’d gotten of Jen had a look of shock on her face. “Definitely not her. You try and find her your way. I’ll work on it my way.” 

“You got it babe.” Gwen frowned at the phone.

“I don’t really like babe.” 

“Sorry I was trying something new, won’t happen again.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rex Salazar wasn’t having the best of days. He had made a new superpowered friend sure, but Six was still in a coma, though Holiday thought his chances looked good. And he’d had to say goodbye to his new friend, possibly forever. He frowned as he watched the portal close behind the green jacketed boy. He’d miss Ben. They had so much in common. But as he turned away from the portal it grew bright again before dying completely. There was a thud and he spun on his heel battle hardened instincts had him ready to fight at the drop of a hat. But he frowned at the sight of a familiar head of brown hair and green jacket. 

“Shit Caesar you said this would work! Ben are you ok?” The figure on the ground looked up and Rex blinked, that wasn’t Ben. They could have been twins, set side by side but there were some distinct differences between the two. This one was at least two inches shorter for a start. But the most obvious difference was that this one was curvy in a way Ben just wasn’t. This strange green clad visitor was definitely female. Her eyes were slightly wider, her face a touch softer. She blinked at him confusion written all over her face. 

“Ethan?” She shook her head and blinked again. Her eyes hardened. “You’re not… Who are you?” She reached for her wrist and Rex raised both hands. 

“My name’s Rex Salazar. I’m sorta a big deal superhero here. Look if the last few days is anything to go by then you’re probably from an alternate universe, so maybe let’s talk before we fight ok?” The girl blinked at him. 

“Ok. Alternate universe, that’s not that weird.” She sat up in the crater as Rex turned to Caesar. 

“Can we send her back?” Caesar shook his head. 

“Not for a while, Ben did a number on the void gun. The girl frowned. 

“Who’s Ben, and your Null Void gun looks like a piece of shit by the way. What backwater Plumber base did you dig that up from?” Caesar frowned. 

“I built it!” She raised an eyebrow at him. Rex held up his hand. 

“Ok gringa, relax. What’s your name?” She raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Jennifer Tennyson, I tend to go by Jen Ten though.” Rex held up a hand and pulled her to her feet. 

“Nice to meet you Jen. Caesar you can get that gun fixed right?” Rex’s brother nodded. 

“It may take me several days though. What concerns me is what brought her here, if the Alpha is what drew Ben here then why did she end up here?” Jen dusted off her jeans and shrugged. 

“Any chance we could talk this over with some food, I’m starving. Had to skip breakfast to do to the interview that I got zapped out of.” Rex looked over at White Knight, his faceplate was cracked. He thought fast. 

“I’ll take White Knight and Jen back to base, you can go fix your gun in peace. Just let us know when it’s done.” Caesar nodded. Jen shrugged. 

“Honestly it’s better than what I was doing with my day.” She followed him onto the ship. She kept staring at Rex, he frowned. 

“You ok?” Jen seemed to realize that she’d been staring and sighed. 

“Sorry you look a lot like someone I knew. It’s not exact, his hair was a little longer and you’re taller than him but definitely similar.” Her hand had wandered to a necklace around her neck. She was twisting the ring on it between her fingers. It was a silver band set with a single emerald surrounded by a ring of diamonds. Rex got the impression that this person he remined her of had been important to her. They reached the base in silence. Holiday was waiting for them, she wasn’t smiling. Rex frowned. 

“Six? Is he ok?” Holiday sighed as White Knight walked off to his secure rooms to fix his faceplate which luckily hadn’t cracked all the way through. 

“He’s stabilized. But he hasn’t woken up yet.” Jen frowned and Holiday glanced at her both eyebrows shooting up. “I take it sending the alien hero home didn’t do too well?” Rex shrugged. 

“We think Ben got through but well Jen popped up when he vanished.” Jen spoke up for the first time since the ship had landed. 

“I figure I’m an alternate version of this Ben. Paradox is way better at explaining this than I am. But I could if you have a piece of paper.” Holiday shrugged seeming resigned to this strangeness and held out her clipboard. “Thanks.” Jen flipped to a blank page and drew a single line. “Ok so the way he explained it was that the easiest way to think about the multiverse is like an orchard. With a bunch of different trees. Each tree is a timeline.” She drew another tree parallel with the others. 

“Most of the time the trees are kept from touching each other, don’t ask me why he didn’t have an easy way to explain it, something about polluting timelines. But on occasion,” she drew a branch on each of her trees, “they intersect. He said it’s usually too small for anyone to notice but sometimes the grows can reach into the other tree. Which can cause the two trees to destroy each other. So whatever brought me here we need to find it and put a stop to it and get me home.” Rex nodded then shook his head. 

“Wait can you go over that again? I am beyond confused.” Holiday nodded. 

“I think I understand. I’ll look over the scans, I’ll have Bobo help me. Go get some rest Rex. You need it after today. Jen can use one of the spare beds. Rex nodded and motioned for Jen to follow him. But he didn’t head directly to the bunks. Instead he popped in to check on Six. Holiday had told the truth there was no change. Jen frowned. 

“What happened?” Rex sighed, sat on one of the counters and began to explain the events of the previous day, from his fight with Ben all the way to saying goodbye to the male Ultimatrix user. Jen nodded. “Can you get this thing open?” She tapped the tube Six was currently contained in. Rex nodded. 

“Yeah, I’m good with machines. Why though?” Jen spun the dial on the Ultimatrix. 

“Because I think I can help your friend.” Rex leapt to his feet hope in his eyes as she changed form. She was marble skinned with winking green stars in her skin when the lights dimmed. Rex opened the tube and Jen laid her hands on Six’s head. She closed her eyes and glowed bright. In a moment the monitors picked up and Six blinked. Rex leaned over as Jen stepped back transforming back to herself. Six sat up as Holiday came running into the room. Rex grinned at her. 

“She fixed Six!” He gestured to Jen who waved slightly. Holiday frowned. 

“Artemis, that’s what I call that transformation, she’s got innate healing powers. I’ve used them before. You guys are set on getting me home I wanted to do something for you too.” Rex grinned at her as Holiday checked Six’s vitals. 

“I like her!” Jen smiled slightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes this is Jen's version of the crossover with Generator Rex. The original one did still happen but ended differently, obviously. I didn't mark this story a crossover because we won't be here long.


	11. Feedback Loop

Once Six was up and about Rex was more than happy to raid the kitchen with Jen then pass out for a few hours. The brunette stayed awake though, working through the scans with Doc Holiday. She frowned as she pulled up one of the original scans from New York. Her eyes widened. 

“Well I found a problem, and possible door back home but we won’t need Caesar’s shoddy Null Void gun. Not in a few hours anyway.” Holiday frowned.

“How do you mean? Providence closed that rift.” Jen shook her head. 

“No, they patched it. A cover but not a solution. It’ll crack back open, especially if anyone on the other side’s figured out that it could be an exit. The Null Void’s an extradimensional prison, houses the worst of the worst and no offence your world has enough problems.” Holiday nodded. 

“I think we’d all like to avoid a prison break. You think you can fix it.” Jen tilted her head at the readings. 

“Yeah. It’s slamming an energy door. I’ll need one of my heavy hitters but it’s doable.” 

“How long do we have?” Jen seemed to think for a moment, ticking off a few fingers. 

“Three hours, maybe less.” Holiday nodded and flicked on the coms. 

“Rex get up here! We’ve got a problem.” They made their way to the incident site in New York. Providence had cleared off claiming victory but Caesar was there. Jen explained the situation to the scientist and he nodded. 

“You say you can fix it.” Jen nodded. 

“I think so, and hopefully get home at the same time.” Rex held out a hand to shake hers when a roar blasted through the trees around them. Three large tenticled things with wings that seemed more mouth than anything else swooped out of the trees. Jen swore. 

“Null Guardians. They must be confused, they’re not supposed to leave the Void.” She spun the dial on the Ultimatrix and transformed into a greenish black figure with bright glowing green hair and blank white eyes. Her voice echoed slightly as she spoke. 

“I’ll reveal the gap, if you can toss them back through I’ll follow them. I should be able to get home from there.” Rex nodded and formed his sword. For beings as big as they were they weren’t bright and it was relatively easy for Rex to toss them into the rip in between dimensions that Jen managed to pull open but it sealed too fast for her to follow and she swore as she landed. She transformed back to herself and kicked the dirt in front of her. 

“Fuck! That was the only weak point! I… I’m never getting home am I?” 

“Not true.” The voice was formal and made Jen grin as every agent present whirled on the speaker, he was tall with brown hair and a lab coat. As they watched he tucked a pocket watch in his pocket and smiled at Jen. None of them had even heard him approach. “Sorry it took me so long to find you Jennifer, you’re difficult to locate outside your universe. Shall we?” Jen nodded and held out a hand to Rex. 

“You kick ass, we should do this again.” He slapped her palm and held up his closed fist. She humored him and bumped it. 

“I didn’t get to spend nearly as much time with you as I did with Ben but you’re cool Jen.” Jen grinned. 

“You too Rex. Maybe don’t let your brother use the Null Void gun though.” Rex laughed as Jen took the scientists arm and both strange people vanished. Six raised an eyebrow at him. 

“At this point I’m not questioning it. Tennysons are weird no matter the universe, apparently.” Six shook his head. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jen glanced at Paradox as the blue lights flashed around them as they always did when she traveled with him. 

“What pulled me there?” She asked hoping for once he would be straightforward with her. 

“Residual energy from the event that pulled Ben into Rex’s timeline. It was without a focus, causing something similar to a feedback loop. When you closed the portal to the Null Void that the initial event created you forced the loop closed. Cutting off your own escape route, but your timeline still needs you. So I came to collect you.” Jen nodded. She wasn’t going to ask but the words spilled from her before she could ask. 

“Why did he look a lot like Ethan?” Paradox frowned. 

“Pure coincidence I’m afraid.” Jen nodded slightly as they landed outside her cousin’s house. Kevin’s car sat in the driveway. 

“So will…” She started but her question died on her lips as she realized that Paradox had already vanished. “Why does everyone do that?” She grumbled making her way to the door which opened before she could reach it. Gwen raced out closely followed by Kevin. 

“Where have you been! Your manna vanished entirely! You were gone! I swear if you do that to me again I will hurt you!” Gwen ranted as she pulled her cousin into a hug. 

“So not my fault. Dimensional feedback loop. I got temporarily sucked into an alternate universe. But it’s fixed now.” She didn’t say more as she stepped into the house. Kevin recognized the look on her face, frustration at a mystery not yet solved, an answer just out of reach. He ruffled her hair. 

“Good to see you in one piece Tennyson.” She nodded as she went to assure her parents that she was fine.


	12. Translation

Fighting Animo was sort of fun. It was refreshing in a way Jen had never thought it would be. It was nice to fight someone who came out with their plan from the get go, practically begging to be defeated. Gwen and Kevin were disassembling the de-evolution bomb with Jen dealt with the yeti and the doctor himself. It was easy as Four Arms. She was twice as strong as the thing and managed to break the headband Animo was using to control it. It took a few swipes at the good doctor before it walked away grumbling. Jen waved and it waved her off dismissively. She shrugged and lifted Animo up by the back of his jacket. He pouted then grinned. 

“Ah but you’ve forgotten my bomb!” Jen turned so they were facing the structure, now in pieces. Kevin and Gwen were walking away from it, Kevin’s toolbox under his arm. 

“Yep, taken care of.” Gwen called ahead as Jen threw Animo into the brig of the Rustbucket 3 and they took off. The news that there was an alien smashing up downtown Bellwood had Kevin blasting them home in minutes. Pierce and a few others were working to contain the alien but it wasn’t going well. Pierce was the only one still standing when they arrived. He’d used one of his spikes, driven into the ground to hold on against the assault. The rest of the Plumbers scrambled to their feet. Jen pulled one up and nodded to him. 

“We’ve got this from here, take care of Animo, he’s in the brig.” They nodded and boarded the Rustbucket as Kevin and Gwen attacked the giant turtle. Jen pulled Pierce up. 

“What do we have?” He shook his head. 

“Never seen anything like him. He’s a powerhouse too, doesn’t talk though, just growls.” Jen’s attention was pulled away from her friend when an unfamiliar voice called out her name.

“Jen Ten! Savior of a hundred worlds! At last!” Jen frowned as she turned to the turtle. 

“Thought you said he couldn’t talk?” She muttered but didn’t listen to Pierce’s response as she vaulted over the line of spikes he’d laid down and stood before the destructive alien. Jen held up her hands as Gwen and Kevin made to attack again. 

“You know I have a cell phone right, there are easier ways to get ahold of me than smashing up my town.” The giant turtle looked down sheepishly. 

“I am sorry great hero. I was in desperation. I could not think of anything else.” Jen glanced down as the Ultimatrix beeped. The turtle alien tilted its head at her, glowing yellow. 

‘Unidentified DNA detected.’ 

“What does that mean?” The turtle asked curiously. 

“It means your species isn’t in the Ultimatrix. Would you mind if I?” She raised her hand and gestured to the device. 

“I would be honored to be the example of my people.” He bowed his head and allowed himself to be scanned. Kevin and Gwen made their way over to Jen, Gwen looked concerned. 

“Since when do you speak turtle?” Kevin asked and Jen frowned. 

“What are you talking about, he’s speaking English.” Gwen slapped herself in the forehead. 

“The Ultimatrix has a translator in it! You’re hearing English, but he’s not speaking it, he’s speaking his native language. Which we can’t understand.” She explained to Kevin who nodded and pulled his badge out of his pocket. 

“Easy fix.” He pointed his badge at the turtle and it glowed, a pulse traveling the distance. Jen didn’t notice a difference but Kevin and Gwen heard the grunting growls transform into well spoken English. He bowed slightly. 

“My name is Galapagus. Thank Addwaitya I’ve found you Jen Ten. I amin desperate need of your help.” Jen nodded and glanced over her shoulder as cameras began to flash. 

“Come on you can tell us why you were looking for us back at base.” Galapagus nodded and followed Jen onto the Rustbucket 3 without a fight. Kevin, Gwen and the other Plumbers loaded up and headed to the base. It took Galapagus a few hours to explain everything he had been through and it made Jen a bit nervous. Aggregor was a name they’d heard before from the alien Bivalvan, the red alien who’d stolen from NASA in an attempt to fix the busted escape pod. The Plumbers agreed to take Galapagus home and considered the matter settled. Jen though didn’t. She’d had Galapagus give her a basic description of the other three aliens who’d escaped. She frowned as she looked over her notes. Pulling out her com unit she checked the local call signals and called the Orlando Plumbers. 

“Plumber base, this is Jen Ten, I need to speak to Jarem.” 

“I’m sorry Miss Tennyson, Jarem hasn’t come back from his mission yet. I can have him call you as soon as he gets back though.” Jen nodded. 

“Please do, thanks.” She hung up and shook her head. She had a bad feeling about this. She was able to find photos of the suit P’Andor was being kept in, along with the other two aliens. They needed to find them and get them home as soon as they could. She sighed and uploaded the data to Kevin and Gwen who were already out looking. Jen rubbed her temple. 

She hadn’t been sleeping well, again. Though this time it wasn’t Feedback, or Ghostfreak or the temporary loss of Grandpa Max that haunted her, no it was the giant black dragon with red eyes from the vision she’d gotten off the book. She glanced at her phone. Gwen had texted her. She was on her way, the cousins would search together while Kevin went to check in with his mom. She insisted that he check in with her once a week at least. Ever since the two had been reunited she hadn’t been keen on letting her son out of her sight, Jen didn’t blame her. She reached into her bag and pulled out the notebook Kai had written her translation of the old knight’s journal in. Jen flipped it open to where she had left off. She’d read a bit farther after her call with Kai and Gregory. The knight had described the beast from her vision, with burning coal eyes and his rampage of destruction around the countryside. She flipped to her bookmarked entry and kept reading. 

‘The beast has laid many a knight low, but perhaps my curse will prove a blessing here.’ Jen frowned, he’s mentioned a curse a few times before but never elaborated on what it was, only that his child hadn’t inherited it. ‘Perhaps I can defeat this beast, but without permission from the king I can do nothing to assist the people.’ Her frown deepened. ‘I am imploring him to let me set out alone to defeat the beast, to not waste more lives than we have to but he has denied me so far. I will petition him again in the morning. He must be made to see reason or I must break my oaths. I do not wish to do this. Breaking an oath is one of the worst things that a person can do, second only to the act of betrayal. I do not wish this life to be remembered as an oath breaker, but if I must to save these people I shall.’ Jen was starting to like this guy. She jumped slightly as a hand landed on her shoulder. Gwen raised an eyebrow at her. 

“You’ve been super jumpy lately, are you ok?” Jen nodded. 

“I’m fine. Let’s go find these aliens.” She left the book in her bag in the trunk of her car as they set off to search the city.


	13. Reactive

After their fight with P’Andor the trio was sent into the radiation showers at the base. It was just a precaution but better safe than dead of radiation poisoning. When they were cleared Jen went home determined to catch some sleep before her classes the next day. Gwen though sought out their grandfather. He smiled at her setting aside a few files he’d been working on.   
“Gwen! How are you feeling?” She grinned and hugged him. 

“I’m feeling fine Grandpa. I wanted to talk to you though.” He nodded to the seat across from him and Gwen took it. She ran her hands through her hair. Max raised an eyebrow at her. She sighed and nodded slightly. “I’ve applied to graduate early!” Max’s eyebrows shot up. 

“Gwen that’s fantastic! When do they think you’ll walk the stage?” Gwen smiled lightly. 

“Maybe as early as next spring.” Max pulled her into another hug. Jen and Gwen were only two hours apart in age, the redhead being the elder of the two. Both were in Sophomore year of high school, would be Juniors next year. Gwen had always been a more dedicated student than Jen, they were both smart just in different ways. Gwen got her knowledge best out of a book. Jen learned through trial and error. Max frowned. 

“Why did you look so nervous when you came in? This is fantastic news!” She nodded but twisted a bit of her hair in her fingers. 

“It is, and I have my eye on a few colleges but…” She paused. Max raised an eyebrow.

“But?” 

“They’re all out of state, most of them are on the other side of the country.” Max nodded, he thought he was understanding why she was nervous. “I would give up my status as a Plumber, it’s not what I want to do anyway. But there’s another problem.” Max nodded. 

“Jen.” Gwen breathed out in relief that he understood. 

“Exactly. I love her to pieces but leaving her on her own? It’s not the best of ideas, eventually sure but she’s not ready to go solo yet. I didn’t know what to do so I thought I’d talk to you.” Max straightened the papers on his desk. 

“What about Kevin?” Gwen shrugged. 

“I haven’t told him yet. I don’t know what he’ll want to do. He loves being a Plumber.” Max nodded. 

“There are openings on the east coast too. If he wanted to go with you.” Gwen relaxed a little more. Max stroked his chin in thought. 

“Jen is good but the Magistrata prefers to have an eye on all specialists, as much as we can. Could be a teaching experience too. I’ll keep an eye on graduating trainees and see if anyone interesting crops up, if not there are a lot of agents who’d jump on the chance to work with her.” Gwen grimaced. Max smiled. “You can have a look over their files as her current partner to vet anyone we chose before any decisions are made. May have Kevin look them over too. The three of you work together well, I’d like to have a team just as efficient when you’re at college.” He grinned again and stood pulling her into another hug.

“My granddaughter all grown up and off to college.” Gwen hugged him back. She let go and headed home. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A week later they lost Andreas to Argit’s stupid plan and a bomb set by the Forever Knights. The only good thing that came out of that day was the fact that Jen actually did get an hour’s uninterrupted sleep because of Argit’s quills. The only thing that stopped her from asking him to knock her out again was the knowledge of his callous disregard for a being he claimed was his friend. Her mother was starting to get worried, Jen could tell. She must have heard her one of the times she’d tried to muffle sobs and screams into her pillow. But she didn’t ask her what was going on. Camille though was a different story. 

“How are your nightmares Jen?” The therapist asked. She was in her true form a sort of human shaped purple mud being. They had agreed that they would be honest with each other and Camille had decided that the easiest way to do that was for there to be no barriers between them. Jen shrugged form her spot on the couch. 

“I want to say they’re better. But that’s not really true. They’re different though.” Jen took a deep breath. “He doesn’t show up so much.” 

He meant Ethan. She hadn’t said his name much since he died, save when she’d mistaken Rex for him. She sighed again. 

“Ghostfreak either, none of my transformations.” No Feedback. “Or Grandpa.” Camille nodded. 

“That’s good, that’s progress Jen.” Jen shook her head. 

“No, not really.” She sighed and explained the vision she’d seen when Stardust had touched the enchanted book she and Kai had found in the Forever Knight castle. She knew she could trust Camille not to tell anyone, even Max or Gwen what was happening. She sighed. “And after I saw the thing, the dragon I guess, there was a voice. It told me not to trust anyone.” Camille frowned. 

“Have you told anyone else what you saw in this vision?” Jen shook her head. 

“No, because the voice, the one from the book that told me not to trust anyone. It was mine.” Camille stared at her, one of her antenna was twitching slightly, her version of a raised eyebrow. 

“You’re sure?” Jen nodded. 

“Stranger things have happened. But I haven’t figured out why or how yet. And now this whole thing with the missing aliens has me a bit distracted.” She ran her hands through her short hair and shook her head standing and beginning to pace. “I feel like I should have done more to help Andreas. Maybe if I’d…” She trailed off flopping back into the couch and burying her head in the pillow there. Camille waited for a moment before she spoke. 

“You are in a position few would wish for. I see a lot of Plumbers for work related traumas and stresses. You are by far my youngest client. The one with the most responsibility too. Everyone wonders if they could have done one single thing differently maybe it could have saved a life. But you did everything you could in that moment. Hindsight is a double edged sword. It lets us see things clearer but that can mean seeing mistakes with the benefit of time we didn’t have when the situation was happening.” Jen nodded into the pillow.

“So this dragon, what does it do in your nightmares?” She looked up at Camille and the woman could see confusion in her bright green eyes. 

“That’s the weird thing. Most of the time it just stands there. Staring at me with those eyes.” She shuddered. “I don’t judge a being on what they look like. It would be highly hypocritical of me but this thing, whatever it is… It’s like every evil thing I’ve ever seen rolled up into one and then got worse and made a dragon. Whatever this thing is it’s pure evil.” Camille frowned slightly. 

Jen tried not to make snap judgments about anyone. She tried to hang back and assess the situation. She wasn’t always afforded that opportunity as a lot of beings just attacked her but she did try. For her to judge this apparition like this it was unusual. A soft ding sounded from the clock set into the wall. Camille frowned as Jen stood. Their time was up. Jen only had so much time to do homework and the like with her duties as a hero so they had to contend with an hour a week. It wasn’t enough Camille knew that but that didn’t change anything. Jen sighed and rubbed her eyes. Camille stood and stepped closer to her and reached out her hand. Jen took it and shook it. The Ultimatrix beeped and went yellow. Jen frowned. 

“It’s been doing that a lot too.” Camille smiled slightly. Jen had told her some basics about the Omnitrix and Ultimatrix including what the different colors meant so she wouldn’t have to stop mid story to explain them. 

“I’m guessing when Azmuth made the Omnitrix we were still at war.” Jen nodded. 

“Would you mind?” Camille shook her head. 

“Of course not, we’re still family Jen. At least when we’re not in session.” Jen smiled and scanned her first cousin once removed, in law, the Ultimatrix adding a sample of Lenopan DNA to what Azmuth called the playlist. With that the brunette left to finish her trigonometry homework.


	14. Electric

Jen jerked awake and glanced around. She let out a breath as she recognized the back of Kevin’s car. The man himself was behind the wheel, Gwen by his side. He frowned.

“You alright back there?” Jen nodded. 

“I’m fine.” Gwen shook her head at her cousin.

“Another nightmare?” Jen shook her head but Gwen clearly didn’t believe her. 

“I’m fine. Where are we going?” Kevin frowned and turned down a street. 

“Your house. You need sleep.” Jen shook her head. 

“No I don’t.” Kevin rolled his eyes. 

“Whatever hero. Everyone needs sleep.” He dropped her off an she contemplated getting on her motorcycle, now safely stored in the garage and fining some trouble, maybe finding the last alien if she was lucky. But her vision was slightly wobbly. She really did need sleep, what she could get of it anyway. She had no idea how long she’d been asleep when she woke to stinging sparks on her face. She moved on instinct, rolling out of her bed and onto her feet in an instant which was lucky because the final missing alien attacked where she had been, snapping her bed in half, sparks flying. She transformed into Jetray before the thing got another swing at her, sending them both crashing out of her room and down the hall. She barely registered her parents door opening as she and the alien wrestled each other and went crashing out the kitchen window. She finally managed to kick it off and took off, she had to lead it away from her family.

Sandra scrambled with the fire extinguisher, managing to put out the small flames that had been scattered around her daughter’s room. Carl was finding his phone, snatching it up he dialed Gwen’s number. 

“Gwen! Yes I’m sorry I woke you but something just attacked Jen, she’s fighting it alone. Three minutes, that’s fine.” He hung up and turned to Sandra. “She’s on way.” Sandra blasted the smoldering ruin of the bed again. 

“Good.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the time Gwen got there the fight was done, Ra’ad floating in the pool in a neighbor’s backyard. Jen was fishing him out as Kevin vaulted over the fence. He had a boxlike device in his hands. Jen nodded and dropped the unconscious Ra’ad near Kevin. Soon he had the energy field up and running and Jen turned back into herself. She sat down on the grass and let out a long breath. She was shaking slightly. Waking up like that was never going to be her favorite way to do things. Gwen helped her cousin to her feet. Jen nodded to her and stepped over to Kevin. 

“We need to get him away from power, he can travel through them. He got into my room through my light fixture.” Kevin nodded attaching the device to his car. 

“Coop and I have been working on something.” Get in. Jen nodded and hopped into the backseat. Gwen got into the passenger side and Kevin drove them out of Bellwood. When they arrived at Los Solidad Jen raised an eyebrow. Kevin got them set up in one of the old buildings that used to house the experiments. “Coop and I have been setting this up as a temporary holding cell for beings too dangerous to be put in the holding cells at base.” Jen nodded and they set Ra’ad up into the device to hold him. 

Finding out that Aggregor had been using the Ultimatrix signal to recapture the other aliens was a blow. An even worse one when Ra’ad blasted the scanning beam and Jen smacked her head on the wall. She hissed in pain. Ra’ad was gone completely. But it didn’t take long for Aggregor to show up. The Ultimatrix seemed to be on the fritz only giving her the option to turn into an Amperi, Ra’ad’s species. That didn’t go so well, Aggregor seemed more than content to use her for his purposes. The only reason they made it out in one piece was Gwen, using one of her more advanced spells. It sent them all crashing to the floor of Kevin’s warehouse garage. Kevin caught Gwen who seemed to be drained from the spell. 

Jen was stuck as he newest transformation, AmpFibian but something was wrong. She could feel another presence in her mind, for a moment, one terrifying second she thought it was Ghostfreak but no. This one wasn’t as dark, it was quite bright actually. She blinked. 

“Ra’ad?” She asked aloud and Gwen and Kevin stared at her, concern in their eyes. 

“Jen Ra’ad’s gone.” Kevin said sounding concerned. AmpFibian’s bright green eyes flashed electric blue. 

“No I’m not Osmosian! I am trapped within her mind!” The eyes returned to normal. 

“He’s not wrong. But we should be able to fix it, we just have to get the Ultimatrix working again.” Again they flashed back to Ra’ad’s.

“No! If we fix the device Aggregor will use it to find me! I will not be used as a power source!” Jen screamed as she felt Ra’ad’s mind attacking hers. She barely heard Kevin and Gwen cry out in rage. She did catch one statement from her cousin. 

“Hurry up Kevin, I can feel her fading!” The next thing she knew Kevin had appeared in front of them coated in rubber with two car jumper cables in hand. He stuck them both to the Ultimatrix sigil on her chest and both she and Ra’ad screamed. In moments they were separate again, electricity coursing through her as the Amperi attacked. Then there was something solid and non-conductible between them. She was swept off her feet and yanked away from the alien. She blinked as the smoke cleared. Kevin, still covered in rubber grinned at her. 

“Told you!” The Ultimatrix beeped as he set Jen back on her feet next to Gwen. 

‘Reboot complete. All systems restored.’ Ra’ad hissed in anger and fear. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Fighting Aggregor did not go well. He threw Kevin from the building, knocked Gwen out and attempted to force Brainstorm to change back to AmpFibian by stabbing her next to the Ultimatrix symbol and trying to turn it. She howled in pain and that was about when Ra’ad showed back up. Aggregor lost all interest in her with his quarry returned which was lucky as she turned back into herself. She could feel blood pooling on her stomach, the wound had to have been bad, all the bad ones transferred, unless she was a species that could heal itself. Clearly Brainstorm did not have that ability. 

“Go! Get out of here!” Ra’ad called out as he blasted at Aggregor with his lightning. The Osmosian countered with his spear. Gwen was back on her feet and leapt over to her cousin. She swore at the sight of the blood. She threw up a shield around herself and her cousin, spikes separating from it to keep it steady. Moving Jen now could be deadly. Ra’ad, backed against a wall, let of a burst of electricity nearly identical to the one that had temporarily trapped him in the Ultimatrix. Everything around them exploded. Kevin screamed in terror as he watched the warehouse go up in flames, Gwen and Jen still inside.


	15. Family

“Gwen!” Kevin screamed out, pulling himself free from the downed electrical pole. He raced to Jen’s car which was parked not far from the wreckage of the warehouse. He absorbed the metal the frame was made of. It was heat and blast resistant. It should get him in and out of the building with both girls, assuming either was still alive. He paused pressing the built in destress signal under the dashboard of Jen’s car. It would alert any nearby Plumber’s badge that they were in desperate need of help. He raced into the wreckage. 

“Gwen! Jen!” He called out as he passed unharmed through the flames. He found them by the glow of Gwen’s shield, luckily unshattered. He dug them out quickly as a Plumber ship landed. They came out with fire surpressors which was lucky as neither Gwen or Kevin could risk moving Jen who was still on the ground bleeding. Gwen had pulled off her red sweater and was pressing it tight to the wound on her cousin’s stomach. The medical team rushed in and had Jen on a stretcher and on the ship in minutes. Kevin and Gwen boarded as well. Gwen’s white button up was spattered with red and her hands were shaking. Kevin grabbed a sterile wipe from one of medical kits stashed all over the ship. He took Gwen’s hands in his own and cleaned her cousin’s blood off them. She was still shaking. He held her close. 

“It’s ok. We got to her in time.” She buried her head in his chest and it was like a dam broke. Her hands curled into his shirt and sobbed with abandon. They were met at the base by a full medical team and Grandpa Max. He pulled both Kevin and Gwen in close as the medical team raced away with Jen. 

“They called ahead. We have our top doctor waiting for her, she’s gonna be ok.” Max assured them both, bundling them into his small living space. There was a full wing of apartments for Plumbers living and working on base. Max had the one closest to the main control room. He sat them both down on the couch and paced. 

“What happened? I haven’t seen Jen hurt like that since…” He trailed off but Gwen finished his sentence for him. 

“The first time Vilgax got ahold of her.” Max nodded as Kevin pulled Gwen closer and began to explain what had happened. Once the Osmosian had finished Max nodded. 

“I need to make a few calls. Kevin can you keep an eye on Gwen. I’ll have medical buzz you as soon as she’s awake.” Kevin nodded as Gwen curled up into his side seemingly determined to make herself as small as possible. He pulled her into his lap and gently stroked her hair. She managed to sob herself to sleep and he just kept holding her. At this point he was just glad she was alive. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jen’s world was blurry when she woke up. For once today nothing hurt, there was no secondary presence in her mind and she felt like she had just slept for ages. Everything was groggy and she couldn’t focus right. It took her brain a minute or two to identify the symptoms. She’d been drugged. She made a distressed noise in the back of her throat. What if Aggregor had decided to take all of them? If she was lucky he’d have just taken her. She tried to sit up and nearly keeled over off the bed she was in. Wait bed? Aggregor didn’t seem like the kind of captor who shelled out for comfort for his captives. Her stomach gave a twinge and she heard voices outside the door. She grabbed hold of the iv stand and managed to right herself onto shaking feet. She made it most of the way to the door when it opened. Her vision was still slightly blurry and she didn’t recognize the figures in the doorway. She tried to get away when a much larger figure in red appeared in the doorway. He was quicker than the others and grabbed her by her elbows. 

“It’s ok Jen. You’re ok.” She barely heard him. With the red shirt now close to her she recognized the garish yellow flowers of the Hawaiian print and relaxed, nearly collapsing into his arms. 

“Hey grandpa.” She slurred it out, barely distinguishable. But he seemed to get it. He picked her up with little difficulty and set her back on the bed. It was just then that she realized she wasn’t wearing her regular clothes. Her stomach was bandaged and she was wearing a hospital gown. She blinked and the rest of the events came back to her. Aggregor digging his spear into Brainstorm and knocking Gwen out, the explosion. She struggled to get back to her feet. Grandpa Max gently held her shoulder down to the bed. 

“You can’t get up right now kiddo.” She shook her head at him. Words were slippery and hard to get ahold of but she managed it. 

“Gwen. Kev.” She couldn’t seem to form Kevin’s full name but her point came through and he nodded. 

“Both fine. One of the doctors is messaging them now, they’ll be here any minute.” As if summoned the door burst open and Gwen led the charge into the room, Kevin so close behind her it was a wonder they weren’t tripping over each other. Both rushed to her bedside and she relaxed completely. Max stepped away from the bed and over to the doctor. 

“She’ll be alright?” He nodded, magenta stars on marble skin winking. 

“The damage was quite extensive. But we managed to heal her perforated liver. Most of the rest of the damage is superficial. She needed a transfusion, if the three of you can keep her calm while that’s happening that would be best. She’s on some heavy duty pain killers. I’ll be making a note in her file about it. We had to give her a low dose of Vaxasaurian pain killers, nothing else worked. I’ll be frank with you Magister, if it wasn’t for her altered physiology we wouldn’t have even risked it. Even in a small dose it can kill a human.” Max nodded. 

“That’ll be her increased metabolism at work. It’s one of the more prevalent side effects of the Om… Ultimatrix. I am never gonna get used to that.” The doctor nodded. 

“But aside from that she’ll be alright, though the scar won’t be pretty.” Max sighed. 

“Sadly she’s used to that. Thank you doctor.” He nodded and left the room so Jen could be alone with her family.


	16. Planning

The next morning found the trio sitting in Max’s office. He didn’t have much good news for them.

“Aggregor’s vanished.” Jen swore. Max nodded. “It gets worse. We checked out the spot where you left Bivalvan. Found the Plumber who went to collect him. He’s dead, and his armor’s gone. No one can find the listing of who took out the ship that was supposed to take Galapagus home. And to top it all off the ship that had P’Andor on it was attacked, lost all hands.” Jen buried her head in her hands. 

“So as of right now we have to assume that Aggregor has all of them.” Gwen frowned. 

“Except Andreas right?” Max shook his head. 

“No the Forever Knight castle that Andreas tore down? We sifted through the whole thing and never found his body.” Kevin swore. 

“Shit. What’s his endgame though? Become all powerful? He’d have had more luck absorbing the Ultimatrix energy for that.” Max nodded. 

“We know that’s what we don’t understand. We’ve got every feeler out for him, he so much as passes by Plumber space, we’ll know about it.” Jen nodded. 

“When he pops back up I want a piece of him.” Max frowned. 

“I understand that.” Jen shook her head.

“No you don’t. I promised them I’d get them home, they trusted me and it bit them. I am gonna make sure I keep my promise.” Max sighed knowing that he would be unable to talk her out of it. 

“Alright. We’ll let you know when we find him. But for now business as usual. How are you feeling?” He asked his voice softening.

“I’m fine.” Everyone raised an eyebrow at her. She rolled her eyes. “Physically all healed. Got another scar, so bikinis are definitely off the table now but I’m fine. And I just had the best nights sleep I’ve had in weeks. So yeah, I’m ready to go!” Max shook his head. 

“Nowhere to go for now. You should take it easy. Go do something fun and normal.” Jen sighed as Kevin leaned forward. 

“Jennifer Nocturne is coming into town for a book signing.” Jen let out a belt of laughter. 

“I honestly forgot about your obsession with her. Sounds fun though, why not.” Gwen nodded though she looked a little incensed that Kevin was obsessed with the movie star. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was supposed to be relaxing, Jennifer Nocturne was not supposed to nearly be kidnapped. Jen, never one to step aside when trouble was afoot, intervened, taking down all but one of the kidnappers, the last one tried to run, caught by Gwen and Kevin easily. It was about then that one of Jen’s childhood heroes showed up. Captain Nemesis was tall and impressive in his armor. Jen was practically bouncing in excitement. 

“Oh wow! Captain Nemesis! I am one of your biggest fans!” His smile was close to a sneer but Jen didn’t notice. Her hand was grabbed and she turned to find Jennifer Nocturne standing very much in her personal bubble, beaming a brilliantly white smile. She smelled like honey and cinnamon, her golden hair waving in a breeze. 

“Jen Ten! I am one of your biggest fans!” Then her hands were on Jen’s face and before Jen could blink the blonde’s lips were on hers. There were several wolf whistles from the crowd that had been gathered for the signing. Jen thought she heard Kevin make a noise but it was very difficult to focus with a tongue in her mouth. Miss Nocturne pulled back first as Jen blinked dumbly, sort of unsure what had just happened. The movie star blushed. 

“Sorry, I just got so caught up in the moment, you saved my life.” Jen shook her head. 

“It’s ok.” Before she could say more Jennifer Nocturne grabbed her hand and waved at the crowd. Jen waved too as they went wild. Kevin and Gwen had slipped back into their place in line, keen to stay out of the spotlight. 

‘Traitors.’ Jen thought to herself as she was pulled into the bookshop by Miss Nocturne. The movie star practically begged her to sit with her at the table the shop had set up for her. The bookshop didn’t seem to mind as they quickly sold out of quite a few science fiction titles. Jen had to be honest, getting to sign a copy of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was both an honor and a little trippy. When Gwen and Kevin showed up at the table Jen introduced them and Miss Nocturne smiled. 

“I hope you don’t mind me stealing her for the rest of the night, can’t have my hero going unrewarded.” She winked at Jen who went bright red. Gwen held back her laugh and Kevin who looked a little starstruck and slightly jealous nodded. 

“No problem at all.” The movie star grinned and finished signing Kevin’s copy of Dawnfall. Jen rolled her eyes at them as they made their way out of the line bypassing her, which she didn’t mind. They saw her everyday after all. She signed a notebook and smiled a little awkwardly at the guy asking for her autograph. What felt like days later Jen was sure her hand was going to fall off. Kevin and Gwen had left. But Jennifer Nocturne offered her a ride in her golden limo. 

“I’d like to take you out to dinner tomorrow if you don’t mind, to thank you.” Jen nodded. 

“I’d like that. But I should tell you I’m not in a good place for a relationship right now.” Jennifer Nocturne deflated.

“Because you don’t like girls?” Jen shook her head. 

“No I like both, everything really. It’s just I recently lost someone close to me and I’m still dealing with that.” She fiddled with the ring on her necklace as the blonde movie star perked back up. 

“Oh! I completely understand. But can I still take you to dinner?” Jen nodded. 

“I’d like that.” They had arrived at her house and Jen left the limo and waved. She heard a throat clear behind her, she turned and found Julie sitting on the front step. Jen frowned they hadn’t had any plans that day.

“You are all over the news right now. You’re makeout session with Jennifer Nocturne is literally the only thing anyone is talking about and I want details.” Jen sighed and unlocked the front door. Her mother was at work and her father was in the garage working on one of the older Plumber guns they’d found in the attic. 

“It wasn’t a makeout. She was happy I saved her.” Julie frowned as Jen fiddled with the ring on her necklace. She caught her friends hand again. 

“You know you’re allowed to be happy again right.” Jen flinched. Julie had hit the nail on the head. Jen was feeling guilty. Ethan had died in August, just eight months ago. Julie caught Jen’s hand. “I get that it might be too soon, I do. But you are allowed to find happiness again. He would want you to.” Jen flopped down onto the couch face planted into the cushions. Julie moved her legs gently and sat down. She patted her friend on her back. Jen stayed buried in her couch for a while.


	17. Take A Break

Jen had not been expecting dinner to mean dinner in Paris, at Jennifer Nocturne’s private chalet. The movie star was surprised to learn that she had never been to France. She’d been to Egypt once, accidently due to a space ship crash. Mexico was another one though technically flying across the border as Stinkfly to stop the Forever Knights from gaining a sword of ultimate power wasn’t all that legal so she kept that one to herself. The team had been to the arctic fighting Animo not too long ago, but aside from that she hadn’t been out of the country. The only reason she had a passport was just in case she needed to go out of the country for a mission. But here she was sitting on a balcony with a five star meal and a beautiful girl, only three years older than her, sitting across from her. A woman very, very interested in space and all the things Jen had seen. 

Dinner was very pleasant, with amazing food, though it did run a bit late. Since it was Saturday Jennifer offered to let her stay the night, even sending out for a very comfortable set of pjs for her. She also ordered a swimming suit so Jen could enjoy her pool and hot tub with her. But unfortunately the blonde ordered a two piece. Jen wanted to refuse, but she wasn’t sure how. So, she didn’t. Miss Nocturne’s eyes widened at the sight of the scars that decorated Jen’s skin. 

“How did those happen?” She asked softly as Jen slipped into the hot tub. Jen shrugged.

“Being a hero is hard.” She left it at that and Jennifer Nocturne didn’t push. Instead she swam a lap around the pool and came back up to Jen. 

“Hey speaking of heroes, Captain Nemesis invited me to a party tomorrow, interested in being my plus one?” Jen blinked. 

“Absolutely! Captain Nemesis is one of my childhood heroes.” The blonde grinned and tapped Jen on the nose. 

“You are too adorable. We can go shopping in the morning if you want, find a nice dress for you.” Jen shrugged at her. 

“You don’t have to do that. I own a dress, somewhere.” The movie star laughed. 

“No trouble at all. Besides my publicist thinks it could be good for both of us. Being seen together. So what’s space travel really like? I was in a movie about it once but I doubt it’s the same.” Jen grinned as they began to swap stories. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day was fun. Jen called her grandfather on her communicator and let him know where she was, and that Jennifer Nocturne had offered to take her shopping that day. He insisted she go and enjoy herself, take a day off for once. He would call if they found anything they couldn’t handle. If she was honest she had a blast. They traveled all over Paris that day, shopping and seeing the sights. It was nice to have a day where she didn’t have to be the one the focus was on. Though even here both she and the movie star were stopped for autographs. By the end of the day both girls had new dresses and even jewelry. Jennifer Nocturne had insisted. She took Jen to her personal stylist, back in the states. Both girls were dressed up and had their makeup done, along with their hair. They took the movie star’s helicopter to the party that night. 

Jen felt a little out of place even with the new dress. It was bright green with a black lace overlay on the skirt. It fell just to Jen’s knees. She wore her usual necklaces, though both were now on display. She also had a cuff around the wrist opposite the Ultimatrix. It was silver to match her other jewelry along with a silver chain belt around her waist. What made her feel a bit worse was when Captain Nemesis dismissed her and kept forgetting her name. He was supposed to be a hero, the kind she could work with but she honestly didn’t see herself working with him very well. By the end of the party she was glad to be dropped off at home even though she was dropped off in the helicopter. Gwen and Kevin were waiting for her there. 

“So how’d it go?” Jen rolled her eyes at Kevin. Gwen held up a magazine. It had a photo of Jen and Jennifer Nocturne on the cover. The title read ‘JJ America’s Hottest New Couple?’. Jen snatched the glossy magazine out of her cousin’s hands and flicked through it to the article. 

“We’re not dating.” Jen insisted as she spotted that maybe Miss Nocturne’s private French home wasn’t as private as she’d hoped. Somehow the press had gotten photos of them in the swimming pool and hot tub together alongside the ones from their day out in Paris. Kevin shrugged. 

“I just can’t believe they’re calling you two JJ. Most couple names are at least fun.” Gwen kicked her boyfriend in the shin. Jen took off the designer cuff around her wrist and tossed it onto the coffee table. 

“Hard to combine names when they’re the same name Kevin.” Gwen looked her up and down admiring the dress. 

“I think that dress might be more expensive than my house.” Jen nodded looking like she didn’t want to sit down in the piece of finery. 

“I can confirm that. She wouldn’t take no for an answer. I need to go change into something not made of money.” She shook her head as she went into her room. She came out about ten minutes later in sweatpants and her usual black t shirt. The dress was over her arm. She slipped into her parents room and came out without the dress. Kevin raised an eyebrow. 

“You really think my room can be trusted with something that expensive?” Gwen nodded at her cousin’s judgement and Jen’s communicator beeped. “What’s up?” 

“Hey Jen it’s Pierce. We’ve got some odd readings down by the docks. A portal of some kind just opened. Wanna head down and check it out.” Jen nodded. 

“Gladly. It’s more my scene than that party was.” She stepped out of the house grabbing her jacket on the way and spun the dial on the Ultimatrix, transforming into Jetray and taking off into the night. Gwen and Kevin glanced at each other shaking their heads slightly.


	18. Not So Friendly

The fight with the dimension twelve robots on the pier was quick. Jen took down half a dozen of them while Captain Nemesis took out only one. She frowned at him as he stated that she might make a good sidekick someday. 

“You’re kidding right? You took down one, I busted up the rest of them.” Harangue twisted her words almost as soon as they were out of her mouth and Nemesis seemed on the obnoxious reporter’s side. 

“If you’re feeling competitive why not channel that into something more helpful. A friendly competition between you and me, tomorrow at noon, all proceeds to charity of course.” Jen frowned. 

“I can do tomorrow but it’ll have to be after four.” Nemesis raised an eyebrow at her. 

“Something better to do?” Jen shrugged. 

“I have class. I’m still in school.” That seemed to take Nemesis aback a bit but he nodded. 

“Fair enough, tomorrow at the old train depot four thirty.” Jen nodded and spun the dial on the Ultimatrix, turning into Big Chill. 

“Stay in school kids.” She hissed out at the camera that wasn’t working for Harangue and took off into the night vanishing as she flew, not keen on being followed tonight. The next day at school was, well, interesting. Her classmates seemed to be in two minds, most seemed to be rooting for her to win the competition, but a small percentage of the people at school seemed to be rooting for Captain Nemesis. Julie just shook her head. 

“Jen this whole thing stinks.” The brunette nodded as they worked on their chemistry lab. 

“You’re telling me. Sulfur always stinks.” Julie frowned as Jen carefully poured the chemicals. 

“Not what I meant, this whole thing with Captain Nemesis.” Jen nodded setting down the flask and adjusting her safety goggles. 

“I’ll admit that isn’t everything I hoped for either.” Julie held up the assignment. Jen glanced over it and picked up the next chemical as she continued to speak. “I mean I used to have his poster, he was supposed to be cool. You know?” Julie nodded.

“They do say never meet your heroes.” Julie stated matter of factly. Jen rolled her eyes at her friend. 

“Not all heroes are bad.” Julie nodded. 

“Some are just nerds.” Jen made an incensed noise. Julie laughed. “Jen I’ve seen you cry over puppies cause they were just too cute.” Jen rolled her eyes as they finished the set experiment. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The competition went… Well Jen wasn’t sure if it went well or not. She won thanks to Four Arms in the tie breaker, so there was that. But it didn’t really feel like a victory. Especially not when she offered a hand to help Captain Nemesis out of the mud pit they’d been using for their tug of war competition and he smacked it away. She frowned as she stepped away, transforming back to normal. She’d promised to drop Julie off at practice. She left as soon as the throng of people parted for her and dropped her best friend off at practice before heading for her cousin’s house. 

Harangue of course implied that she had cheated which made Kevin scoff. 

“Female Tetramands are stronger than even male Tetramands. It’s no wonder you beat him with two hands behind your back.” Jen nodded slightly. Gwen was frowning though. 

“What’s up cuz? You’ve got that look that means there’s something you don’t want to tell me.” Gwen sighed. 

“Kevin and I did some investigating into where the goons who tried to kidnap Jennifer Nocturne got the high grade weapons.” Jen nodded she’d been curious but a bit distracted to look it up herself. “They were manufactured by one of Nemesis’s companies. But none of the weapons have been reported missing or stolen.” 

“So either your hero was going to look at it himself and didn’t want the bad press, or…” Kevin left his sentence hanging. 

“Or he knew the whole time.” Jen stated Kevin nodded.

“Which would track, since he’s paying for their lawyers.” Kevin said, Jen shook her head and sat down on the couch. 

“Fuck.” Kevin nodded. 

“Yeah never meet your heroes kid.” Jen rolled her eyes. 

“I’m not that bad right?” Kevin shrugged. Gwen looked her over. 

“Well you snore, you’re bad at keeping up with your schoolwork. But you’re a good hero.” Jen grinned at her cousin. 

“Always keeping me humble Gwen, thanks.” Gwen nodded. Jen’s stomach grumbled. She stood and stretched. 

“I need food. I’m gonna head to Burger Shack, you guys want anything?” Gwen shook her head. Kevin shrugged. 

“We’re good.” Jen was on her way to the restaurant when she thought maybe Julie would want something to eat after her practice. She pressed a button on her steering wheel. 

“Call Julie Yamamoto.” She said and the wireless setup in her car began to ring. There was a click as the line was picked up. 

“Hey Julie, I’m heading to Burger Shack you want…” A voice that was certainly not Julie cut across her. 

“Julie can’t come to the phone right now. I’ve got her, you want to see her alive again come get me.” The dial tone rang out. Jen swore and pressed the call button again. 

“Call Gwen Tennyson.” The phone only rang twice before Gwen picked up. 

“Hey could you actually grab me a burger?” 

“Nemesis took Julie!” Silence reigned. “I tried to call her, Nemesis answered the phone. He called me out. Meet me at his tower in five minutes.” 

“We’re already in the car.” Kevin called out and Jen nodded.

“Good, don’t make an entrance. I’ll keep him distracted.” Jen pulled up to the tower and stepped up to the doors. They slid open and Jen stepped inside and flipped the dial on her Omnitrix to Humungousaur. She turned the dial on her chest and felt herself grow even taller, a wrecking ball growing on the edge of her tail. It was the first thing she used on the ex hero when he came out to confront her. 

As it turned out he had taken Julie and Jennifer Nocturne. He had it set up so they would both fall at the same time, leaving Jen to only be able to rescue one. But Jen had something he didn’t. Friends. Gwen and Kevin rescued Jennifer Nocturne while Jen switched to Goop and rescued Julie. It didn’t take her too long to figure out that Nemesis was overheating and use that against him. 

“You were supposed to be a hero. What happened to you? This was never about publicity, this was about doing the right thing!” She shook her head and dropped the defeated hero. She shook her head at him as the cops came in and arrested the man. They handed Jennifer Nocturne off to them too, as the witness. Julie gave her statement and Jen took her home. She was still shaking with anger. Julie hugged her. 

“Thanks Jen.” Jen hugged her back.

“I’m glad you’re ok Julie.”


	19. Missing

Jen was furious that she hadn’t been in on the ambush set up for Aggregor and she wasn’t afraid of letting her grandfather know it. Though if she was honest she was quite impressed with the way Kevin deconstructed the scene of the ambush. It was very well done, almost as if he’d actually been to the infamous academy. She could practically feel Gwen beaming with pride as they boarded back up on the Rustbucket 3. Getting blown up as Lodestar was less than pleasant but turned out to not be too damaging. Given that the alien was comprised of magnets that held together a single cohesive mind it wasn’t too hard to pull herself back together. But finding Aggregor again ended up requiring outside help. So it was a very good thing Colonel Rozum had an escort meet them. Talking to the man about Los Soledad was interesting. He seemed to think it was one of the more secure bases, despite being abandoned. 

“Wow, you guys really don’t pay attention to your old bases. Last summer a literal alien invasion was coming out of Los Soledad and it never even hit your radar.” Rozum stiffened. 

“Invasion.” Jen shrugged as she looked over the schematics.

“Taken care of.” She looked up at him, there was disbelief in his eyes. “Yeah I’m good at my job.” She picked up a marker and crossed out a few buildings. “Those ones aren’t there anymore. Busted up by the time creature.” She spotted a flash of white cloth out of the corner of her eye. “Isn’t that right Professor.” The others jumped as Paradox stepped up next to her and took the marker she offered.

“You’re missing this one here, though that one’s just missing the front of the building, and of course the crater you put in the ground as Way Big.” Jen nodded as he marked off the area. Rozum went for his gun. But it wasn’t there. Paradox held it up. 

“I took it from you before I arrived. Nasty things.” He tossed it aside and turned to the others. “We have very little time.” Jen nodded as Rozum sputtered. 

“It’s fine Colonel, he’s a friend, a time traveler, he helps us out from time to time.” Gwen nodded at her cousin. 

“But only when it gets really bad.” Paradox nodded at the redhead. 

“And here we are. Aggregor intends to use an entropy loop to absorb the DNA and energies of all five Andromeda aliens, in effect becoming unstoppable. But if the entropy loop is blown up or left on for too long reality itself will begin to shatter. The potential explosion could wipe out all life within a lightyear.” Kevin frowned. 

“Why don’t you go in and stop him then, you could be in and out before anyone knew.” Paradox shook his head, looking Kevin up and down critically. There was almost a sadness in his eyes, like he knew something they didn’t. Which in retrospect he likely did. 

“Reality in Los Soledad is already stretched paper thin, if I step foot in there in this point in the timeline the paper tears and destroys everything.” Jen nodded. 

“Then we’re on our own.” Paradox nodded and stepped over to Kevin. 

“I need to have a word with you.” The group stared at Paradox he’d never shown interest in Kevin before but the teen shrugged and followed the time traveler. They spoke in lowered voices, Paradox turned his back to them so none of the Tennyson’s could read his lips, Kevin looked beyond confused. Jen was getting nervous. She cleared her throat. 

“If you’re handing out future advice I think all of us would like a piece of that.” Jen joked as Paradox turned back to them. He looked her over. 

“I would caution you against leaning against the Chrono-randomization barrier but I know you won’t listen.” Jen frowned as Paradox turned to Gwen, his eyes softening slightly. “Chin up Gwen, this will be difficult but keep your head.” He waved, stepped behind Kevin and vanished. The Colonel shook his head turning to Max. 

“Your friends are strange.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Fighting robots was one of Jen’s favorite pastimes, she never had to hold back with robots. With the mind controlled aliens she did. But they were already too late. Aggregor set off the machine moments after they arrived. Reality began to shatter around them and it was all Jen could do to transform from Nanomech to Humungousaur and smash the device. As reality righted itself Gwen gasped. 

“The aliens! They’re gone!” She cried out and Jen turned which was a mistake. She’d knocked Aggregor out of the way to break the device, sending him spinning but now a metal clawed hand appeared on the device and the creature that had been Aggregor stood. It was only familiar because they had seen Kevin do something similar when they were kids. Aggregor was now an amalgamation of the aliens he’d kidnapped and his laugh was maniacal and utterly insane. His eyes now a flooded and unsettling red. 

Jen attacked without warning, roaring in anger and frustration. She slammed the Osmosian into the wall then snatched him up by his ankle and tossed him though the wall. She went after him before any of the others could stop her. Only when she had ripped up a good sized building by the foundations and thrown it at the alien sending him sailing through the two other buildings as well before the whole thing collapsed on top of him did she even pause. Then she heard him groan and the anger boiled back up again. Gwen had to stop her from continuing to beat on the creature Aggregor had become. She shot a glare at her cousin and saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. Jen deflated slightly. 

“Sorry.” She said it entirely to her cousin as the mana bonds released. “But after what he did.” She fell silent as the groan turned into laughter and Aggregor stood back up like nothing had happened. 

“Is that all you’ve got? Because I didn’t feel a thing.” He threw a punch sending Humungousaur flying. It took Jen a minute to get back up and rush the monster again. He slammed his fist, now identical to Andreas’ into her jaw and she felt the bone shatter. She wasn’t sure what happened next as her world went black.


	20. Hot and Cold

Jen woke up inside the Genesis Cradle. She was sort of hoping this wasn’t going to become a habit. But it opened quickly as she opened her eyes. Her jaw was sore and she rubbed her cheek standing out of the device. She looked around. Gwen and Kevin were sitting together as Azmuth worked on something on the screen in front of him. Grandpa Max was nowhere to be seen. 

“Before you ask your grandfather will be fine. Aggregor’s electrical attacks severely damaged his nervous system, since the Genesis Cradle won’t work on anyone but you he’s in a regen chamber, but it’ll take about a month for the nervous system to be fully replaced.” Jen nodded rubbing her cheek. It was still slightly sore but considering the last thing she remembered was getting her jawbone shattered by Aggregor’s fist she was on the ups. Jen glanced around. 

“When did we get to Galvan?” Azmuth rolled his eyes. 

“As you well know this is Galvan mark two.” Jen nodded, it was just easier to refer to it as Galvan so that’s what she was going to do. “And to answer your question I transported us here after the Plumbers recovered you and your team from Los Soledad. Aggregor got away. But it is of utmost importance that we stop him.” 

The Galvan went on to explain what the Map of Infinity was and what it protected. The Forge of Creation, a source of power apparently but Jen couldn’t help but think that maybe there was more to it than that. 

“What lives in the Forge?” Azmuth raised an eyebrow. 

“You can’t guess?” Jen frowned and Azmuth sighed. “The Forge Of Creation is home to the most powerful beings in all of creation, those that can bend and twist time and reality to their very whim.” Jen’s eyes went wide. Kevin and Gwen frowned. 

“What does that?” Jen shook her head. 

“No time for that now, how do we stop Aggregor?” 

“Find one of the pieces before he does and destroy it. He will be unable to enter the Forge without the map.” Jen nodded. 

“Where do we start?” 

And so the three of them set out on their way to Mykdl’dy, a planet half on fire half coated in ice. Gwen called her parents who called her out of school for the next few days, Jen took a more direct approach. 

“Hey, Mrs. Stevens, can you put me through to Principal Samson please? It’s Jennifer Tennyson.” 

“Of course.” There was a beep and the call connected. 

“Miss Tennyson, how can I help you?” 

“Hey Principal Samson, listen I’m gonna level with you, I wont be in for a few days, maybe the week. I’m not sure.” There was a pause. 

“Are you sick Miss Tennyson?” He asked sounding aggrieved. This was probably not the first call of this nature he’d gotten that day.

“No. I’m halfway across the galaxy stopping a criminal from gaining ultimate power and killing a lot of people.” There was silence again over the line and for a moment Jen was worried she’d lost the connection. Then there was a deep sigh. 

“From anyone else that would have been the most ridiculous excuse I’ve ever heard, from you I’m inclined to believe it. Do you have a ballpark on when you might be back?” Jen shrugged. 

“Hopefully not more than a day but I have no idea when this whole thing might be over. So…” Principal Samson sighed. 

“Very well Miss Tennyson, as your excuse does pertain to your… job outside of school we’ll be willing to make an exception and excuse the absences. Provided that you get the work you miss done as soon as you can.” Jen nodded. 

“If I don’t die sure. Thanks Principal Samson.” She ended the call before he could say anything about her dying. She stepped back over to the controls where Kevin sat. He raised an eyebrow at her. 

“Call go ok?” She nodded. 

“We almost there?” He pointed out the front window. 

“See for yourself.” The planet was one of a kind. Tidally locked one half faced the nearby sun and was molten slag and fire bubbling brightly. The other was never kissed by the suns warmth and was frozen solid. Times like these were why Jen loved what she did. Before them no human would have laid eyes on this phenomena. Not even Grandpa Max had been this far out into space. 

“It’s beautiful.” She said amazed at what she was looking at. Kevin nodded. 

“Deadly though.” Jen raised an eyebrow. 

“Those two things tend to go together more than they don’t.” Kevin glanced at Gwen, who’d nodded off at her console. 

“Yeah they do.” Jen rolled her eyes. 

“Come on loverboy. We need to suit up.” Jen shook her cousin awake. “We’re here.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Necrofriggians guarding the temple were less than welcoming. Jen didn’t like having to knock them out but it had to be done. The temple itself was like something pulled from an Indiana Jones movie, complete with spike traps, poisoned darts, pitfalls and pressure pads. Not to mention the fact that in transforming to fight the guards meant that Jen’s suit was fried. Then when Gwen fell under the spikes poison and Aggregor showed up to take the map piece while they couldn’t drop it lest they squash Gwen didn’t make it any better. But anger gave Jen the strength she needed to heft the door alone while Kevin saved Gwen. Getting out involved a lot of destruction to the walls of the temple to bypass the security as Cannonbolt but Jen was running out of time. She made it to the ramp of the ship, Kevin as close behind as he could be with Gwen in his arms. That was when the Omnitrix decided to time out. 

Breathing on this planet was like trying to swallow a solid glacier. It hurt but she couldn’t get enough air to scream as the half of her exposed skin that faced the fire began to burn. She blacked out in seconds. Kevin saved them, switching Gwen to under one arm and scooping Jen up under the other he raced up the ramp with both Tennyson girls and straight to the infirmary. Jen was breathing so her situation could wait a moment, Gwen was going green around the lips though so Kevin pulled out the first aid kit and yanked out a large syringe. Glad his girlfriend was unconscious he jabbed it directly into her heart and pressed the switch to release the medicine within. In moments the green retreated and her breathing eased. He carefully pulled the needle out and checked her vitals. She was stabilizing. He sighed in relief and turned to Jen, who was suffering from a unique case of near frostbite and near third degree burns. He set up a dermal regenerator to work on her damaged skin and a warm bubble of air to ease her lungs back to normal. It worked wonders and soon she was sitting up with nothing more than a very odd looking sunburn.

“Gwen?” He should have known that would be her first question but he nodded. 

“We got her here in time. But Aggregor got away.” Jen closed her eyes and breathed out in frustration. But she nodded. 

“We lost one piece, we still have three more chances to stop him. We lost a battle not the war.” Kevin nodded wishing he could have a bit of her optimism. Though maybe that wasn’t what that was, maybe it was sheer dogged determination. She volunteered to take the helm while he looked after Gwen. She was silent after that all the way back to Earth.


	21. Sixteen For A Minute

Watching Cash and JT get read the riot act by Magister Patelliday and several generals was actually hilarious. Much funnier than nearly getting her ass kicked by Psyphon because of them. They were placed under a government watch and on probation by the Plumbers. Jen knew that the watch was more of a deterrent than anything else, they both looked scared straight as they were escorted out of the base. Jen sighed and spun in her chair as Patelliday approached her. He raised what passed for an eyebrow. 

“They’re mostly harmless, just complete idiots.” She said waving at the retreating figures. Patelliday nodded. 

“Protocol says we ought to have tossed them into Null Void for impersonating officers of the law. The only reason we didn’t was cause you have as much pull as you do.” Jen nodded. 

“They wouldn’t last a day in the Null Void. They confessed to their crime, agreed to pull all the footage from the web. In the end no real harm done. We got Psyphon behind bars, severely damaged on the power front. The Knights didn’t get away with the power core, or the gun. Today’s a win. Which I can’t say for last time we faced Aggregor so let me bask in it for a minute.” Patelliday nodded and sighed. 

“We’re still looking for him. An’ the next piece of the map.” Jen nodded. Patelliday had been transferred to Earth after Max had been injured by Aggregor. The main base’s official move to Earth was being sped up. The agreement was coming to a final conclusion and the consensus was to gradually transition Earth to an open system. It was going smoothly as it could be without Max who was still in the regen chamber on Galvan Mark Two. Patelliday had been informed what was happening, though no one else knew the exact details. He sat down next to her.

“You know you can’t win them all.” Jen nodded slightly and stood. 

“I know. We hear any whisper of Aggregor…” Patelliday nodded. 

“You’ll be the first to know.” She nodded and made her way down the hall to one of the few quiet places in the base. Construction was almost complete but there were more Plumbers here than there had ever been and more seemed to arrive daily. She sighed as she sat down on the floor of the Hall of the Fallen facing Ethan’s name. She shook her head and buried her head in her hands. She didn’t cry. She wasn’t sure if she was capable of that anymore. She was reasonably certain she’d cried every tear she had when Ethan died. She had no idea how long she sat there, it was one of the few places people she didn’t know didn’t bother her. It was nice to know that the job of saving the world was one she wasn’t shouldering alone anymore with the influx of Plumbers. It made it easier to leave at a moments notice to go after Aggregor. 

But finding out that the Plumbers seemed to be comprised of her personal fan club these days wasn’t so easy to handle. They kept looking to her to lead. These were beings who were much older than her some, depending on the species, nearly by fifty years or more. It threw into sharp perspective all the people she was failing when she lost to people like Aggregor. She sat in silence for a while until someone joined her. A bag was set down next to her so it was nearly leaning against her and she looked up. Pierce was sitting next to her holding a cup carrier. He smiled slightly. 

“Saw you down here figured you probably hadn’t eaten in a bit.” She glanced down at the grease stained bag and smiled slightly. 

“Thanks Pierce.” She pulled a bacon cheeseburger out of the bag and grinned at the extra large order of chili fries. He sat down next to her setting down the drinks and the second bag in his other hand. He pulled out a burger of his own and a regular order of fries. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Pierce spoke up.

“You know we have Rec rooms here now, they’re even finished. Really nice too. So why come down here?” Jen shrugged. 

“It’s quiet. Nobody bugs me here, nobody I don’t know anyway.” Pierce raised an eyebrow. Jen frowned. “ ‘Oh Miss Tennyson, since your grandfather’s not here you need to look over these requisition forms even though the actual Magister is less than ten feet away.’” Jen said in an exaggerated accent. She stabbed her straw into the lid of one of the cups. Pierce nodded slightly. 

“Makes sense, they look up to you.” Jen rolled her eyes. 

“Most of them are twice my age! I can’t even legally vote Pierce! Why am I the one everyone has to look up to? I’m a fuckup waiting to happen.” Pierce shook his head. 

“We both know that’s not true.” Jen glared at him. 

“Really cause if it wasn’t for me Aggregor might never have gotten his hands on those aliens again, not to mention the first part of the thing he needs to gain the literal power of a god. Then there’s the fact that I couldn’t even protect my own damn boyfriend.” Her voice seemed to vanish. Pierce shook his head. 

“None of us could have stopped that. He would never want you to blame yourself for that.” His words were soft but chiding. Jen shook her head and ran her hands through her hair. 

“I know.” Her voice was quiet he almost didn’t hear it even in the deserted hall. “I know I shouldn’t even think about what ifs but its so hard not to.” Pierce nodded. 

“You know I think like that a lot too. If I had done more to find out about the aliens Hellen, Manny and I were tossing into the Null Void. If I hadn’t ended up in the Void. If I’d found a real Plumber before Max.” He shook his head. “None of it matters now, all that matters now is what we do.” He stood and took a deep drink from his own soda. “You know what I need?” Jen shook her head stuffing the last of her fries into her mouth. “A normal movie. Wanna come with? Just be sixteen for one night?” Jen looked up at him and nodded. 

“I’d like to be normal for once.” She borrowed Pierce’s hoodie so she wouldn’t be recognized and he put on an ID mask to hide his spikes. They decided to go see something that was so far off their normal lives and ended up at the latest Disney release with the biggest bucket of popcorn they could find and several large boxes of candy. They laughed and cried and left the theater feeling normal for the first time in a long time. 

“Thanks Pierce I needed this.” Pierce nodded. 

“Anything for a friend.” She dropped him back at the base before driving home. Only when she arrived did she realize she’d forgotten to give him back his jacket. She shrugged. She’d give it back to him the next day. It was just nice to not have anything expected of her for a few hours.


	22. Positive Side Effect

Gwen had no idea what Jen was planning when she placed Goop’s anti gravity device in place of the piece of the machine stolen by Aggregor. Goop melted to the floor but didn’t stay there long. She was drawn up into the machine and a blood curdling scream filled the cavern. It went on and on as the green sludge that currently comprised her cousin spun round and round again. Then it peaked and Goop vaporized up into the machine and the water itself. Gwen screamed as her cousin’s final cry echoed around them. Pyke glanced at the readout on the screen. 

“The planet is stabilizing.” Gwen turned to Kevin. 

“There has to be a way to save her!” She demanded it but Kevin shook his head. 

“Gwen she atomized, scattered though the entire ocean. There’s nothing there to save.” Tears blossomed from Gwen’s eyes and Kevin caught her as her knees buckled. “She saved the whole world.” He tried to comfort her but it was hollow. She’d saved worlds before and had more left to do. It really didn’t help when Pyke spoke up as one of his fellow Piscciss Volann handed him a second water helmet. 

“Only part of the world I’m afraid. Most of it is still floating off into space.” Then the water on the screen moved, but not in the way normal water moved. It reached out pulling the floating blobs back into itself as the scaled people called out the statistics of the stabilizing plant Kevin pulled Gwen to her feet. Gwen shook her head. 

“That’s moving just like…” Gwen fell silent as Kevin pulled up a microscopic scan of the water. 

“Well the good news is that your cousin isn’t dead. But she may be a permanent part of the planet.” Gwen looked over his shoulder. The readout did in fact find traces of Goop in every current molecule of the planet that pulled itself back together even as they watched. 

“What happens when the Watch times out?” Gwen asked as the Oxygen Fish circled their feet happily. Kevin absently petted it as he turned to her shaking his head. 

“Whatever happens we should be about to find out. There’s no way the charge will last much longer, she switched what four times and went Ultimate. No way it’s lasting much longer.” Gwen went pale as the planet fully coalesced back to its previous state. The water flashed green and so did the anti gravity device in the machine but it did not vanish as it normally did. But Gwen could no longer feel any of her cousin within it. It was just a piece of the whole machine now. Jen though was somewhere out in the water, with no protection. 

It took them nearly ten minutes to find her and Gwen’s control was fraying. She thought she knew what they would find as a platoon of the guard floated her cousin into the still flooded hold of the Rustbucket Three, never once actually touching her. Between the grateful people of this world they’d gotten the ship patched while Gwen and Kevin searched for Jen. Kevin vented the water out of the hold and the two of them ran into the room. But what they found made them pause. Jen’s eyes were open and glowing a solid green. The lines of code were painting her skin again. Gwen hesitated before she reached out to touch her cousin. The green vanished and Jen convulsed spewing water from her lungs. She coughed as Kevin’s brain caught up to him and he grabbed a respirator from the nearby med kit and shoved it over her face. The Plumber versions of this device were special and drew out the obstructions in the way of breath before feeding fresh air into the lungs. From the amount of water she spat up Kevin could swear she’d swallowed half the planet. But in a few moments her hacking heaving coughs eased into breath and Gwen pulled her cousin into her arms. Her eyes met Kevin’s over Jen’s shoulder, concern and confusion meeting between them. They made Jen stay in the medical bay on the respirator on the way back to Earth. Kevin didn’t want to bring it up first. 

“She should have died.” Gwen’s words were louder than she’d meant them to be. Kevin nodded. 

“Yeah but she didn’t.” Gwen nodded. 

“Which is a good thing.” She stated as she adjusted a scanner needlessly. 

“A very good thing.” Kevin agreed almost robotically. 

“But she should have died.” Kevin frowned at Gwen’s insistence. She was right of course. He flicked on the auto pilot and turned to the redhead. 

“They never touched her.” Gwen turned to him and frowned. 

“What?” 

“The guard, they were afraid to touch her so they didn’t they used tech to float her in.” Gwen nodded. Kevin’s brain was racing. “What if she was just stuck inside the Omnitrix when it figured out she was dying. Cooper says that puts her in a sort of mobile stasis if it’s like when she’s fixing DNA anyway. But she came back when you touched her. And she was drowning.” Gwen nodded. 

“So if the Piscciss Volann had touched her she would have drowned.” Kevin shrugged. 

“Maybe, we’ve sort of all agreed that none of us know how the Omnitrix works.” Gwen nodded at him. 

“Does that mean she can’t die?” Kevin shook his head. 

“No, probably, look most tech has some kind of failsafe to keep it from being destroyed. I think that might have been the Omnitrix’s version of that. Like a quicksave in a video game.” Gwen ran her hands through her hair. 

“And your theory is that the minute she get’s touched the ‘quick save’ ends?” Kevin shrugged. 

“You got a better explanation?” Gwen shook her head. 

“No, that’s what scares me.” They made it back to Earth nearly twelve hours later and Jen crashed in the base, in the med bay, on a respirator for the rest of the night and well into the next day. She griped that she was fine but Gwen and Kevin insisted, both spooked by the events of the previous day.


	23. The Door To Anywhere

It was sort of a slap to the face when they tracked Aggregor back to Earth again. An uncharted course of islands just off the coast of Indonesia, more just a staggered series of jagged rocks barely sticking out from the ocean waves. But the Osmosian monster seemed to know where he was going because he raced ahead of them knocking down rock structures as he went to slow their advance. Four arms leapt over the structure and caught a glimpse of the bright pink sigils surrounding the door. She tried to stop it from closing as Gwen stumbled and Kevin caught her looking worried. 

“I’m fine! We need to get through or we’ll never be able to find him!” But even Four Arms wasn’t strong enough to hold the door open. She swore as she pulled her hands out of the way just in time to not lose fingers to the stone doors. 

“How do we get through?” Gwen shook her head still looking a bit shaken. 

“We don’t. These are the Doors of Anywhere you need to speak the true name of the place you’re going to get through.” Jen frowned as she turned back to herself. 

“What those symbols around the door?” Gwen nodded as Jen picked up a rock and began scratching the symbols she’d seen into the stone in front of the door. Kevin frowned. 

“You’re sure you got those right?” He asked. Jen nodded. 

“Yeah, you know how sometimes I get like perks from my aliens? Like I can move quietly like a ghost, or more accurately Ghostfreak.” Gwen nodded. Kevin frowned. 

“Didn’t know that was why but yeah ok.” 

“Well I got a photographic memory from Grey Matter.” Kevin raised an eyebrow. 

“Bet that’s helpful for school.” Jen shook her head. 

“School’s boring.” Gwen rolled her eyes. 

“You’re sure you got it right?” Gwen asked looking over the runes.

“Of course I’m sure.” Gwen frowned. After trying a few times to open the doors Jen sighed. 

“You can’t actually read that can you?” The brunette asked skeptically. Gwen glared. 

“I’m self taught. Reading isn’t the problem, pronunciation is.” She sighed heavily. “I know someone who can read it though.” Jen nodded. 

“But you don’t want to go to them?” Gwen nodded. “But since the power to bend literal worlds to a whim is currently within reach of Aggregor you’re going to go anyway?” Gwen sighed then nodded. 

“I’m going.” She vanished in a swirl of bright pink light. Kevin frowned. 

“Who is she going to?” Jen shook her head. 

“Probably Charmcaster.” Kevin made a strangled noise. 

“What!” Jen nodded. 

“Yeah, she’s got more actual by the book training. And we’ve worked with her once. For like ten minutes. Then kicked her ass when she turned on us. It’s sort of up in the air if she’ll even help. We’ll just have to wait and call Grandma if she doesn’t.” Kevin frowned. 

“And we’re not calling scary Grandma first because?” Jen shrugged. 

“Gwen hates admitting she doesn’t know things. Grandma would use this as an excuse to try and get her to Anodyne again. We Tennyson’s are stubborn you know.” Kevin nodded as he sat down next to Jen on the rocks to wait. 

“That might just be the only consistency in the universe.” Jen laughed. It took Gwen nearly ten minutes to return with Charmcaster. The silver haired enchantress was more than happy to help them gain access to what she called Ledgerdomain. Learning that one of their long time enemies wasn’t actually from Earth, but from a realm made of magic, was well surprising. The fact that Gwen’s powers were nearly ten times more powerful here was an added bonus. 

“Come on Chamcaster you’re not even in her league, she’s an Anodite.” Charmcaster frowned. 

“A what?” Gwen rolled her eyes at Kevin. 

“Our grandma is a pure energy being. Literally made of mana.” Charmcaster’s mouth fell open. 

“That’s just not fair!” She stamped her foot. “I’ve been training since I was a child and you get born with this!” She whirled on Jen. “What are you powered because of that too? Is that why you’ve got an unnatural aura?” She demanded. Jen shook her head. 

“Nope, I’m tech enhanced, not magic.” She waved the Omnitrix. Charmcaster frowned. 

“Well at least you can’t use mana. That’s slightly comforting. Come on it’s this way.” When they reached a dead end Chamcaster started hearing voices they couldn’t hear but she wasn’t the only one hearing things. 

“I’ve been waiting for you!” The familiar voice was like a punch to the gut for Jen who for a moment couldn’t breathe. 

“E… Ethan?” She stuttered it like it was pulled from her with hot pincers. 

“Yeah, Jen it’s me. Come on. I’ve been waiting you’re not gonna leave me hanging are you?” She stepped up to the edge without even noticing she’d done it as Gwen wrestled with Chamcaster who’d tried to take a nose dive off screaming something about her father. If Kevin hadn’t glanced at Jen to say something the brunette would have fallen unnoticed. He just managed to grab her by her hand and yank her back up the cliff as she screamed at him to let her go. Charmcaster saved her, decking her across the face as Kevin struggled to stop her throwing herself off the cliff. She shook her head. Ethan’s voice hadn’t subsided but it was dimmed and slightly distorted. 

“Hell of a nasty trick that one.” She said glancing back at the pit. She was shaking slightly as Jen managed not to burst into tears in Kevin’s arms. She and Gwen created the bridge to get them across and cheered hugging each other as they did but Jen was silent, slipping to the back of the group as they headed away from the pit. After a few minutes Charmcaster fell into step beside her. 

“The boy, the one who was on your team last time we fought he died?” Jen nodded still quiet. “I’m sorry. I know what it’s like to lose someone you love.” Jen nodded as she found her voice. 

“Sounds like you do. What was your dad like?” Charmcaster smiled bright pink eyes flashing. 

“Fearless, he always spoke his mind. Didn’t make him too popular under Addwaitya’s rule. He… he sacrificed himself to get me and Uncle Hex out of here when I was a kid.” She looked away fiddling with her bag. “What was he like, your boy?” Jen shrugged. 

“Charming, and ordinary.” Charmcaster raised an eyebrow. “That’s not a bad thing, it was refreshing. I didn’t have to be a hero all the time. I could just be me.” Charmcaster looked her over thoughtfully. 

“That really does sound amazingly wonderful. And he never tried to change you?” Jen shook her head. 

“Not a once. Most do, they want someone else.” She fiddled with the Omnitrix absently as they kept walking. “Not him.” She said her hand going to the ring on her necklace. Charmcaster nodded slightly and made her way back to the front of the group. Kevin slipped back to Jen. 

“You ok?” Jen nodded. Kevin raised an eyebrow. 

“Bonding over losses.” He nodded and glanced at Charmcaster where she was now talking to Gwen. 

“You know she wouldn’t be the first bad guy you two turned from the dark side.” Jen glanced at him. 

“We can only hope it goes as well for her as it did for you.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They were a step behind Aggregor again. He took the Alpha Rune while they were battling Addwaitya and absconded with it. The rocks around them, and under Addwaitya’s citadel began to crumble. 

“The Alpha Rune was holding a lot of this place together!” Charmcaster called out as they raced away from the crumbling rocks. Addwaitya howled at the loss of his rune, it was odd watching a turtle do a decent impression of a wolf but as he was buried under the rocks of his own crumbling citadel he called for his minions to kill them. 

“We need an exit!” Jen cried out as she transformed back to herself, the Omnitrix timing out as she dove behind Gwen’s shield. 

“No! I can stop him, he’s weakened! I can free them!” Charmcaster called out hands ablaze with pink light. 

“We need to stop Aggregor! If he gets the power he’s after everything ends, Earth, the universe, even Ledgerdomain! We’ll come back to free your people, I swear it!” Jen cried out as a stray beam of power skimmed right past her neck. “We need to go!” Charmcaster summoned the door. 

“Go I’ll cover you!” They ran, believing her. But for the first time that day she lied to them. The door slammed shut with Charmcaster still in the realm of power. Jen banged her fist on the door but the runes for the door were gone and no mater how they tried they couldn’t reopen the door. Jen sank to the rocks in defeat. She was feeling hollow, every step of the way they’d been thwarted and now they had once chance left to beat him. Her hand wandered to where her necklace usually sat but it was gone a small trickle of blood at the side of her neck the only indication of where it had been cut off. She slammed her fist into the rock. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Charmcaster snatched up the silver chain and ring from the dark rocks as she ran. They had to come back once they finished with Aggregor. Words held power and Jen had given hers to Charmcaster that she would help when they could. With a thought and near silent word the chain mended and she slipped it on as she whirled to face the weakened Addwaitya, she would hold the shapeshifter to her word later. Right now she had revenge on the mind.


	24. Last Shot

Getting disappointed looks from the First Thinker had always made Jen squirm even over a holo-communication, unfortunately some things never changed. 

“Aggregor now has three pieces of the Map of Infinity.” He said it with no heat but the team still flinched. “Our only hope of stopping him now rests in the Perplexahedron.” Jen let out a breath.

“We knew where one of them was from the beginning?” Azmuth nodded. Jen glared. “Why didn’t we go after that one first!” 

“Because I did not want to send you to a place no one has ever returned from. Many have tried to solve the Perplexahedron, none have come out alive.” That sent them into silence. “But now we have no choice. I am teleporting you there. Good luck.” They vanished from the rocks where they’d been standing in front of the Doors to Anywhere and reappeared in the Rustbucket 3 outside an improbably huge cube that was nearly reflective, the shape itself was barely discernable from the space around them. Jen would have been extremely impressed if they’d had time to really take in the massive structure instead of immediately spotting Aggregor heading towards the cube. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Getting separated from Gwen was stressful for both of them. There was no way to backtrack, no way to tell where she had ended up. Jen pulled herself to her feet as Kevin swore. 

“We’ll find her.” Kevin nodded. 

“We have to.” Jen smiled slightly.

“If I didn’t know better I’d say you were being open with feelings.” Jen teased, she wanted to lighten the mood which had been too dark for too long. Kevin though went immediately silent, not shooting a quip back at her like he usually did. “If you want to, I have two ears and some time while we look for Gwen. No problem listening either.” Kevin sighed as they passed into the next room. 

“I… I don’t talk about feeling much, you know that, but I think I’m in love with Gwen.” Jen’s eyebrows shot up and she grinned. 

“Good.” Kevin blinked. 

“What?” 

“You heard me.” They had to pause their conversation for a moment as the room filled up with water. Jen went Ripjaws and tore their way out of the room and into the next one. She turned back to herself and shook off some of the water as they stood. “I said good. You’re not that little kid who tried kill me anymore Kev. If that were the case we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” Kevin laughed, but shut up as the acid started. They paused again as they made their way up and into the next room. They paused to catch their breaths for a moment. 

“It’s just…” Kevin sighed. “I like who I am around her. I like the guy she sees when she looks at me. I never thought I’d get to a place like this when I was a kid you know?” As a grid of lasers began advancing Jen nodded, transforming into Chromastone. 

“I get that.” They kept going. 

“Not what I meant. I mean I wanted to be a Plumber, I wanted a lot of things, but I was a runaway and I never thought I’d get any of those things. And I only got them because you gave me a second chance.” Jen nodded shrugging slightly. 

“Well, you earned it. After a bit but you did earn it. And I got a best friend out of the whole experience and my cousin found love. Nothing I could have predicted either.” They paused again. Another of the guards popped out of the wall. They beat it easily but Jen frowned in thought as they continued forward. It took them three more rooms to reach a room filled with snow and ice. But there was something else there. Gwen, a frozen statue. Jen transformed into Swampfire and managed to separate her cousin from the near solid ice floor. She flame blasted their way into the next room where they paused on the look out for other death traps as Jen melted the ice around her cousin. Kevin caught her and held her as she fell. She was shivering but miraculously alive. She blinked at them for a moment then pulled Kevin into a kiss. 

“Oh get a room you two there are plenty here.” Jen said as she transformed back to normal. The two of them shared a moment as Jen looked around waiting for the usual traps as the two lovebirds shared another kiss. “Whenever you’re finished I think I figured it out.” That got their attention. 

“What do you mean?” 

“What does a place full of deathtraps need with guards?” Gwen and Kevin blinked at her. “They don’t show up all the time, just some of it. I think they’re supposed to be extra protection for the piece of the map.” Gwen nodded. 

“So the more guards we see the closer we’re getting?” Kevin asked for the sake of clarification. Jen nodded and they set off. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It took them nearly twenty rooms to reach the Sentinel. He handed over the piece without a fight and urged them to leave the crumbling structure. Jen took the lead, without even thinking about it leading them back toward the ship. She didn’t know where she was going but the map piece held fast in her grip did. She frowned though as she paused. The others pulled up with her. 

“Why are we stopping?” Kevin asked ducking as more of the Perplexahedron crumbled around them. 

“We can’t just leave him to Aggregor, he’ll die.” Jen said, turned on her heel and ran back the other way. If she hadn’t been so determined to be a hero maybe they would have won the day. But Jen refused to leave anyone behind and it cost them the map piece. The worst thing was that the Sentinel died anyway in Jen’s arms accusing her of being the reason his life’s mission failed. Jen stared down at her hands as Gwen laid her hand on her cousin’s shoulder. 

“We lost a battle not the war.” Kevin said with finality. Gwen nodded, looking up at him gratefully.

“Kevin’s right, Aggregor has the map but we’re not going to let him use it. We can still win this.” Jen shook. 

“If I hadn’t played the hero we could have already won.” Gwen grabbed her cousin by the chin and forced her to look her in the eye. 

“You weren’t playing at anything, you were saving a life. I’ve never known you to do less. You can’t leave anyone behind, it’s not who you are.” Jen nodded. 

“And it’s why we lost today.” 

“But we’re not giving up.” Kevin said reaching out to pull both girls to their feet. “We can still beat him.” 

“You’re right. We’ll stop him no matter what it takes.” Neither of them liked the steely look in Jen’s eyes as she walked away from them to the controls. Gwen took Kevin’s hand and squeezed it. 

“Thank you Kevin.” He squeezed her hand back and smiled lightly.


	25. Glimpse

Paradox came to their aid when Serena and Bellicus refused to even speak to Jen for locking them away despite her solid reasoning. Serena complained that by not bringing Ethan back she was denying herself a chance at love, Bellicus wanted her to bring back the driver of the truck that had ended his life and hurt him for what he’d done. When she’d pointed out that doing either of those things wouldn’t save the universe, that she’d buried Ethan and come to terms with the fact that he wasn’t coming back, they devolved into arguing again. Paradox pulled her out of the transformation. Jen shook her head as she scrubbed her face with both hands. 

“You did a brave thing by even unlocking that transformation, but they will be of no help for now. They don’t have a concept of life and death like you do. You’ve put him to rest and I admire you for that.” Jen nodded. Gwen and Kevin glanced at each other. They’d never known the real reason she’d had Kevin lock away Alien X. They’d speculated out of her earshot that it had something to do with Ethan but it had never been confirmed until now. Azmuth shook his head. 

“You can’t do this. Her part in this fight…” 

“Is far from over!” Paradox cut him off. “I know the Ultimatrix and its bearer are precious to you Azmuth but you cannot defend her from her own destiny. You and I know this. The more you try the more damage you do.” Azmuth glared at Paradox. The time walker ignored him. “I hid the forge in the first place, I can take you there. But we will need to have already left.” He pulled out his pocket watch and clicked it, they vanished. 

The hidden nebula outside the universe was beautiful. Gwen couldn’t help the slight smile as they flew into it after Paradox vanished. 

“You have to admit, even with the threat of death hanging over our heads there’s nothing like what we do.” Kevin nodded at her grinning himself but Jen stepped between them. 

“No time to enjoy the view. We’re here to do a job. Not flirt.” Kevin frowned. This time it sounded like she was really chastising them, not teasing as usual. She still hadn’t lost the steely look in her eyes she’d gained after the death of the Sentinel. He didn’t really like it. Getting stuck in the white mist barrier that separated the nebula from the rest of reality was worse though. No matter what he tried her couldn’t jimmy the wing free. Jen swore. 

“Fuck.” She ran her hands through her hair. “I could try to jimmy it out by going Way Big.” She made to lean on the seemingly solid barrier and fell straight through it like it was made of mist crying out as she did. Gwen caught her with a stream of mana and pulled her back. She hopped to her feet in an instant turning back to the barrier. 

“Somethings moving in there.” She said it before Gwen could chastise her for being careless. She slapped the Ultimatrix, turning into Artemis and readying an arrow as the other two teens spotted something moving. It was only Gwen’s quick reflexes that stopped the arrow sinking into the heart of a very familiar ten year old. They all blinked as a small brunette girl in a white and black shirt and brown cargo shorts walked out of the mist, her hand hovering over the fat black watch on her wrist. 

“Who are you and why did you try to kill me?” 

It was like staring into the past brought to life, maybe because that’s exactly what it was. Jennifer Tennyson at ten years old stood in front of them. She was almost a foot shorter than the current version who was staring at her younger self with pure shock in her eyes. The younger one’s hair was longer, pulled back into a braid that reached nearly to the middle of her back. She looked more carefree in the way she held herself too. There was something missing from her eyes that one could easily find in the older versions as she stumbled back and transformed back to normal. It was a haunted look Kevin hadn’t really taken in before but set side by side the difference was highly noticeable. The ten year old frowned. 

“Who are you?” The child’s question was more insistent, but the brunette teenager seemed to be having a bit of a breakdown. Kevin heard her speak, though he doubted the ten year old could hear her from where she stood on the other side of the wing. 

“I thought she was Aggregor… I could have…” The implication was a heavy one. If the younger version of Jen died now, would the teen version disappear too? Would everything she’d done since she was ten be undone in an instant. 

“You couldn’t have known, Paradox didn’t exactly tell us what we were walking into.” Kevin reassured her. But he shouldn’t have spoken. The young Omnitrix bearer turned to him, recognition in her eyes. 

“Kevin Eleven?” Kevin nodded. 

“Well I’m not eleven anymore.” Gwen steadied her cousin who still looked shocked by what she’d almost done. 

“Not smart Kevin, she still thinks you’re evil.” Gwen stated as she put an arm around her shaking cousin. 

“I’m not evil, I’m nuanced.” Kevin insisted but before either of the other teens could respond the tiny version of Jen spoke up. 

“I don’t know what you’re playing at Levin but I’m taking you down!” It was Gwen who stopped the fight. She got the younger version of her cousin to recognize her and the ten year old stopped fighting them. The teen Jen shook her head and turned her Ultimatrix to Upgrade, sinking into the ship and jimmying it free. She showed back up inside, Gwen got the three still on the wing of the ship inside. The ten year old version of Jen stared at her older self as Kevin began to pilot them the rest of the way into the nebula. 

“Why’d you do it?” The ten year old asked and Jen looked up at herself. She knew what she was asking and knew the look in her eyes. It was the look she still shot at people like Vilgax, the look she gave villains beyond saving. She looked away quickly. 

“I didn’t know it was you… me… you know what I mean.” The ten year old stepped back into her line of vision. 

“Why does it matter who it was we don’t kill, or at least I don’t.” Jen flinched. The child’s voice grew quiet. “When did that change?” 

“It hasn’t. I haven’t killed anyone.” The implied ‘yet’ hung heavy in the air. 

“Then why were you so quick to the trigger this time!” She had forgotten how quick she was to anger when she was younger. “And when did I cut my hair!” The teenage Jen laughed. 

“I’ve been losing a lot, lately.” The child shook her head. 

“So what!” Jen looked her over. She had to be ten, she probably hadn’t even unlocked Feedback yet. “Losing doesn’t mean we go to their level! Heroes don’t kill!” Gwen and Kevin were watching the exchange, not even pretending to do otherwise. The brunette teen ran hands through her short hair. She’d need to get a haircut soon if she wanted to keep it short. 

“Life’s not that simple.” 

“We’re a hero, we don’t do the things the bad guys do! What’s hard about that!” The child snapped. 

“It’s not that, it’s…” The child cut her off. 

“You’re just as bad as the me I met in the future with Gwen. She was obsessed with work and had forgotten what it was like to be Jen Ten. I swore I wouldn’t be her! Maybe I don’t want to be you either.” Sixteen year old Jen laughed. 

“I don’t even want to be me anymore kid.” The whole Rustbucket was silent after that. It was the younger Jen who spoke. 

“You think I don’t know that? I never asked for any of this. I wanted to spend a fun summer with Grandpa Max, not get chased by killer aliens and robots and get dragged into the future. But this is what I got handed.” She held up the Omnitrix. “This is a responsibility way too big for me, but I’m going to use it to do what’s right. What are you going to use it for?” The ten year old folded her arms and glared at her older self as she blinked at herself. The corner of the teen’s mouth perked up and she nodded. 

“You know you do make a lot of sense, for a kid.” Gwen smiled shooting a grateful look at the younger version of her cousin as the child demanded to see the new aliens in the Omnitrix. Kevin raised an eyebrow. 

“You look pleased.” Gwen nodded. 

“After the Sentinel I didn’t know how to pull her back. She was planning to kill Aggregor, go against everything she believed in. There was no way to get her to listen to me. She’s lost too much lately.” Kevin nodded. “I once joked that she’s the only person she reliably listens to.” Kevin looked back and nodded. 

“Fair enough.” He glanced out the window as the white light of the barrier gave way to blues and reds and purples interspersed with starry black figures. They had reached the forge.


	26. Sacrifice

Even with the four of them combined fighting Aggregor it wasn’t enough. Gwen was knocked out first, her mana attacks useless against the Osmosian because of Galapagus’s immunity. Kevin went down next with a well placed electric blast. It took Aggregor longer to deal with the two Four Arms that ganged up on him but Jen at ten years old wasn’t as experienced as her sixteen year old self. She made the wrong move and was thrown to where Kevin was stirring, leaving her older self alone to face the psychopath. It didn’t go well, ending with Jen back to herself hearing her own ribs crack as Aggregor stepped down hard on her ribcage. She tried to get back up, to transform again, to keep fighting and Aggregor scoffed and kicked her in the head, her whole world went black. 

“Stay down child. I’ll kill you once I have my prize.” He turned to the glowing orb wherein rested the child celestialsapian. The ten year old Jen glanced down at the Omnitrix which was glowing red, timed out she couldn’t help, not against someone this powerful. But there was someone who could help. She raced the few feet to Kevin and tried to pull him up but she was quite a bit smaller than him so she did the logical thing she smacked him on the face to bring him back to the present. It worked but earned her a glare. 

“Don’t do that.” 

“You have to absorb the Omnitrix’s power! I can’t beat him. But with all my powers you could!” Kevin blinked as Aggregor circled the glowing orb, looking for the best way in to the baby. He shook his head as she held out her tiny wrist. He pulled himself to his feet. 

“No offence kid but yours isn’t the most powerful Omnitrix here.” She stared as he quickstepped to where her sixteen year old self lay. Kevin flinched at the sight of her. Her face was bruised, a sizable lump already growing from where Aggregor had kicked her. Her breathing was ragged, he’d snapped at least two of her ribs. He reached down and took her hand the one with the Ultimatrix. He had tried his hardest to avoid this hand since they’d met again. He wondered if she’d ever noticed. He kept Gwen firmly between him and the temptation of the power that coursed through the device. Even now when he thought of her as the bratty little sister he’d never wanted, when he was desperately in love with her cousin, he didn’t want to lose them. But to save the universe one had to make sacrifices so he let himself reach out until his power grabbed hold of hers and began to feed off it. They both screamed as bright lights flashed. 

Gwen jerked upright as screams echoed through the peaceful space around them. She blinked as her ten year old cousin helped pull her to her feet. The sixteen year old Jen was laying prone on the starry palm of the giant celestialsapian mother almost two feet away. Kevin and Aggregor were nowhere to be seen. Gwen rushed to her cousin and healed her concussion in a blink and an incantation. She sat up, one hand wrapped around her ribcage as Aggregor came hurtling out of the orb but he wasn’t alone. A taller figure had him by the neck and he was screaming as his power drained and the mutations vanished back to horned but humanoid appearance he’d had when he first appeared. He kept screaming though. Jen stepped forward though her feet were almost unsure of themselves. 

“That’s enough Kevin!” She called out and Kevin dropped the adult Osmosian who did not stir from that spot. If Gwen hadn’t known what Kevin had looked like in his mutated form before she would not have recognized him now. His face looked very much like Jetray, but a patch over his right eye was the grey scaling of Ultimate Humungousaur and his black hair still swung in his eyes as it always had. A blue cloak, reminiscent of Big Chill’s wings hung around his shoulders though it did nothing to cover his mismatched arms. The left one was Taydenite but the hand came to a curved claw like Brainstorm’s pincers. Pink spikes identical to the crystal that formed Chromastone protruded from that shoulder. His right arm was green and plantlike, like Swampfire but had Rath’s claw and a spike like that of Lodestar growing from the shoulder. His chest was armor plated at the tan like Humungousaur, his legs red and the feet mismatched, one a talon like Jetray the other a paw like Rath. Under his left arm was Spidermonkey’s blue arm, on the opposite side were several of Brainstorm’s legs. His normally dark eyes were flooded a toxic green. It was a spine chilling sight to see. 

“It’s over when I have all his power!” Even his voice was distorted. “Maybe I should take the babies power instead! I deserve it! I’m the one who’s always getting turned into monsters because of you Tennyson! I’m always the one getting fucked over, the one no one cares about.” Green eyes flashed at her. She glared right back. But another voice spoke before even Gwen could speak. 

“You’re a jerk! You’ve always been a jerk! All we do is try and help and you’re too busy feeling sorry for yourself to see it! My cousin’s in love with you, I’m ten and I can see it! Why can’t you!” The ten year old was close to tears as the still injured sixteen year old stepped in front of her. Kevin blinked glancing at Gwen who reached out to him, tears in her eyes. 

“Kevin please come back to me. Don’t do this.” He almost stepped forward but glanced down and shook his head looking back over at the two Jens. 

“We’ll do this your way for now Tennyson. But next time I see you don’t expect a warm welcome.” He took off, flying away without a backward glance as Gwen called out after him. 

“Kevin!” But he didn’t stop, vanishing into the nebula as Gwen sobbed. Jen stepped carefully over to her cousin one arm still wrapped around her ribs. There was a flash of light and Paradox materialized in front of them. He waved a hand at the hopefully just unconscious Aggregor who vanished and turned to the three girls. 

“And that’s the end of that. It’s time we get you home. Especially you my precocious young friend.” He ruffled ten year old Jen’s hair and she swatted his hands away. 

“Don’t do that I don’t know you!” The ten year old looked around. “I wont remember any of this, she doesn’t.” She pointed to her older self. Paradox shook his head. 

“You will think it was all a dream. But someday it will be a distant memory and you will trust Kevin when your every instinct tells you not to. And that trust will save the universe.” 

“And drive him insane again.” The sixteen year old bit out as she rubbed Gwen’s back, the redhead still sobbing. Paradox looked off after Kevin. 

“This story is not over yet, but her part in it is. We should leave before the natives notice my presence.” He clicked his pocket watch and they vanished in a flash of light.


	27. Hit Hard

Magister Patelliday tapped another few keys on his console. He frowned. He hadn’t heard from Jen or any of her team in days. Not since they’d managed to track Aggregor to a remote set of islands just off the coast of Indonesia. He was getting worried. They were good kids all of them even Levin who had a record that was, well less than spotless. He was doing a quadrant wide search for the two Plumber badges and any sign of the Ultimatrix. It came up blank. He frowned and widened the search. It too came up blank. He rubbed his temple. Max would be back in less than two weeks, he dreaded the wrath of his old partner if he didn’t have at least a whisper of his grandchildren by then. He sighed and widened his search again. The communicator on his badge rang. He answered it. 

“This is Magister Patelliday.” 

“Magister this is Plumber Agent Wixm at base 7386.” Patelliday frowned that was nearly five parsecs away. Why would he be getting this call, Wixm should be reporting to their own magister. 

“How can I help you Plumber?” He asked politely but still confused. Wixm sighed. 

“Well we have two humans here, claim to be Jen and Gwen Tennyson. But since you’re they’re supervising Magister we thought we’d call to confirm.” Patelliday sat up straight. 

“Plumber is the brown one wearing the gosh darn Omnitrix or not! I know you know what that is even there.” There were a few sounds over the line and Patelliday held his breath. 

“She is sir. But they just kind of appeared here. No idea how they got here. Their ship is in no way space worthy sir. They don’t have a teleporter.” 

“Don’t try to make sense of Tennysons, Plumber it’ll get you nowhere. Wait two?” 

“Yes Magister, one red, one brown and green. And a prisoner for transport to Incarcecon. They claim he’s Osmosian but scans claim he has no power at all.” Patelliday frowned. 

“Describe him Plumber or better yet turn on yer dang Holo and let me talk to Jen.” 

“Yes sir.” There were a few noises and the holo-communications came online. Patelliday caught sight of what must be Wixm, a tall spindly creature with deep purple skin and large bulbous eyes. The being handed his badge off and Jen resolved in front of him. She’d seen better days. Her jacket was scorched in places, there was a fading bruise on her face. Her arm not bearing the Omnitrix was wrapped around her liked she was in pain. There were dark bags under her eyes.

“Kid you look like you got chewed up and spat out by something from the depths. What happened?” She shook her head. 

“A lot. Do me a favor and put out a bolo on Kevin. I don’t know what he might do but he’s a danger to himself and others right now.” Her voice was low and hollow. Patelliday frowned. 

“Kid.” She shook her head.

“I don’t have time to explain right now. I need you to do this for me. He won’t look like Kevin, he’s absorbed the Ultimatrix energy and mutated again. He also took Aggregor’s powers and the powers he took from the Andromeda Aliens. But I think he still has his badge on him.” She coughed and Patelliday winced. A few specs of red painted her lips but she seemed to shake off an Agent who wasn’t in range of the holo view.

“I got it kid. Let them give you and your cousin some medical attention.” He tapped some keys. “I’ve got the fastest ship in the area heading your way to get you here. They’ll be there in an hour, get yourselves stabilized and get on the transport. I’ll have them send whats left of the Rustbucket 3 later. Sounded like there wasn’t much.” Jen nodded looking very pale. 

“Good. Thank you.” She handed the badge back to Wixm who nodded. Patelliday was still frowning. 

“Is she actually getting looked over?” He asked the Plumber who looked back over his shoulder. 

“She’s insisting they look at the red one first. But both of them are being taken to medical.” Patelliday nodded. 

“Thank you Plumber. Do me a favor an’ make sure they both get on that transport.” 

“Absolutely Magister. Thank you.” Patelliday nodded and hung up breathing a sigh of relief as he typed up the bolo on Kevin. The poor kid, Osmosian’s got messed up in the head when they absorbed any energy, let alone as much as he had. He finished up the bolo and shook his head. He tapped the Plumber at the next console on the shoulder. 

“I need a dip in the pool to work out this headache. Have me called for anything major, if it doesn’t happen call me when the Tennyson’s arrive.” The agent nodded. 

“You got it Magister.” 

It took nearly twelve hours for the two Tennyson’s to arrive back at the Earth base. Gwen was physically fine, a few bumps and bruises and some minor burns. Jen had three broken ribs that had shifted nearly into her lung. She’d been confined to a stretcher, physically restrained to it more accurately. She kept trying to get up and do things. Gwen was restraining her as the hover stretcher was guided down the hall into the med bay. 

“I’m fine.” Gwen glared. 

“You have three broken ribs and the remains of a concussion.” 

“Yeah like I said fine.” She glared at her cousin as the mana cuff moved to cover the Ultimatrix. 

“You’re resting for the night or until your doctor says otherwise. I already lost one person today, I’m not losing you.” That shut Jen up and she didn’t complain as she was hovered into the med bay but the two cousins stuck together like they were never going to let the other out of sight. Patelliday frowned as one of the newer agents assigned to the base shook his head. 

“Those kids look like they’ve gone through hell.” Patelliday nodded. 

“You have no idea how likely that is to be true. Possibly even literal.” The agent blinked at him but he didn’t elaborate as he stepped past the doors into the med bay. The resident Apollonite was shaking his head. 

“You’re lucky they didn’t shift during transport. One more round of healing and overnight observation before I even consider letting you out for duty.” 

“I’m staying with her.” Gwen stated it, more of a demand really but no one argued. Patelliday nodded. 

“I’m inclined to agree. I do have to ask what happened. I doubt, given the nature of yer mission you can tell me everything, but maybe you can tell me why Aggregor is catatonic on his way to Incarcecon.” Jen glanced pointedly at the doctor. 

“I’ll leave after I heal her. So you can wait for a few minutes Magister.” The Piscciss Volann nodded. 

“Of course Doc.” They were all silent as the Apollonite got on with his work, shifting Jen’s bones back fully into place and repairing the damage, all without ever cutting her skin. He finished. 

“I’ll send dinner down for both of you. There are showers right there. I’ll see what we can scrounge up by way of clothes.” Gwen searched her pockets and came up empty. 

“Someone should call our parents tell them we’re ok. They can bring clothes by. But I think I left my phone in Ledgerdomain.” Jen shook her head. 

“Don’t look at me I lost mine in the Perplexahedron.” Patelliday stuck his head out the door and pulled aside one of the agents giving her orders to contact the Tennysons and let them know their daughters were alright. She rushed off to do just that. The doctor left and Patelliday turned to the girls. Their explanation was vague at best. Jen reached into her pocket and pulled out three fourths of the Map of Infinity. 

“Paradox took the piece from the Perplexahedron. He’s going to destroy it. No one will be able to access the information in the map without the whole. Which means the other pieces will go back to being what they were.” As if on que a bright light flashed and the map fell into pieces a stone engraved with pink runes, a piece of machinery and what looked like a piece of ice in the shape of a perfect globe. Inside it rested tiny pieces of metal that swirled and spun like a model of the solar system, or many it changed too quickly to tell. She handed the metal device and ice globe to Patelliday. 

“Make sure that gets back to Piscciss. This one needs to get back to Mykdl’dy.” The third item, the stone with the pink engraving seemed to have caught Gwen’s attention. She was staring at it and Jen thought she spotted her eyes flash pink. She retied the chord Addwaitya had used to hold it on and slipped it on and under her shirt so it was out of view. 

“I’ll keep ahold of the Alpha Rune until we can get it back to Ledgerdomain.” Gwen looked like she wanted to protest. But Jen shot her a look. 

“There’s been enough temptation, we’ve lost enough to the thirst for power Gwen.” Gwen blinked and it seemed the spell was broken she nodded looking down as someone knocked on the door. It was an Agent bringing down the food for the cousins. Luckily it was Cooper who was familiar with what the two would and wouldn’t be able to eat. He’d also piled the trays high and had two Mr. Smoothie cups as well which explained why it had taken so long. Patelliday took the other two artifacts.

“I’ll get these home. You have my word.” They nodded at him. Jen spotted the Mr. Smoothie cups and smiled at Cooper. 

“You are a blond angel Cooper, a small spot of brightness in an awful fucking day. Scratch that one of the worst weeks of my life.” Cooper handed her the cup. 

“I got you the new flavor.” Jen smiled at him and beckoned him over. He handed Gwen her tray and set down Jen’s Jen pulled him into a hug. 

“We need to talk.” She hissed in his ear so Gwen couldn’t hear. Cooper raised an eyebrow but nodded slightly. Gwen dug into her food, oblivious of her cousin’s words. Jen nodded back and tucked into her own plate as Cooper caught them up on what was happening on Earth during the four days they had been gone. It wasn’t much. Neither girl told hm what they’d been doing nor why Kevin hadn’t returned with them. Gwen soon ducked to take a shower when one of Agents dropped off a few bags of clothes from their parents. Cooper turned to Jen. 

“What’s going on?” 

“I need your help building something. And Gwen can’t know all of it.” Cooper raised an eyebrow but leaned forward to hear her out.


	28. Surprise Visit

Jen frowned it had been a full twenty four hours and there was no sign of Kevin. Not a peep. Gwen was keeping quiet as the Plumbers searched but Patelliday insisted that the two of them take a few days off. They were never one to follow instructions. Besides something odd was happening with the mana field. They were focusing on that for the moment. There wasn’t much else they could do, Pierce was siding with Patelliday and Cooper was beginning work on the project Jen had put to him while Gwen was in the shower. Gwen had been informed of some of the powers behind that machine but not all of it. Jen frowned as Gwen directed her to turn left out of town and onto a dirt road heading out into the desert. 

“You’re sure, there’s nothing out here.” Gwen nodded her eyes glowing. 

“I’m sure. Besides there is one thing out here.” Jen frowned. “Your old nest from when Big Chill had her babies.” Both girls frowned. While the story was still slightly amusing, everything that had Kevin involved in it felt slightly tainted. Jen sighed. 

“We don’t even know what we’re gonna find out here. How do we know Patelliday didn’t beat us to it?” Gwen shook her head. 

“This is in the Mana field. Unless he’s got a magic user on staff he won’t be able to find it.” Jen let out a bark of laughter. 

“Gwen, you’re the magic user on staff.” Gwen nodded and sat forward. 

“Stop here.” Jen pulled off the road and frowned. She got out and looked around, there was nothing there. 

“You sure?” Gwen nodded and led her off the road, Jen locking her car as they left. 

“There’s something down here.” She pointed eyes still glowing bright pink. There was a crater, not uncommon around Bellwood but it appeared that this one had a small opening at the bottom, almost a tunnel. Jen nodded. 

“Here goes nothing.” The two of them were most of the way down the crater when the tunnel began to bubble with light. They had no time to scramble back out as pink light flooded the crater. It wasn’t just light, it was bright pink water. Gwen grabbed Jen’s hand and the two of them swam up to the surface. But when their heads broke it they weren’t in the desert outside Bellwood anymore. The sky was bright pink and the ground around them twisted above their heads as they swam to the shore. 

“Where are we?” Jen asked. Gwen looked around. 

“Ledgerdomain.” Jen blinked at her. 

“You’re sure?” Gwen wrung the water out of her hair. 

“Pretty sure. The crater must have been an old Wellspring.” When Jen just looked at her confused Gwen shook her head. “Magic on Earth is complicated. When the tech boom started, arguably in the iron age, it mostly died out, but the structure old time magic users made is still there. Their called Lei lines. Where a bunch of them meet is called a Wellspring, in old legends it’s usually why so much magic stuff happened in certain places. There’s a ton of them in England and Ireland and all over. But most of them are inaccessible, someone who didn’t know what it was inevitably builds something on top of it. Or they dry up when the magic left behind gets used by someone for a powerful spell.” 

“You didn’t know there was a Wellspring outside of Bellwood?” Jen asked incredulously. 

“It wasn’t there before.” She glanced at the chord around Jen’s neck still supporting the Alpha Rune somewhere under her shirt. “It must have been one of the dried out ones. But put the true name of magic next to that.” 

“And it floods.” Jen said pulling off her jacket and wringing it out as well. She sighed. “Well we did say we’d be back to help Charmcaster. Think you can find her?” Gwen shrugged. 

“I can certainly try, I’ve never tracked anyone in Ledgerdomain.” Gwen crossed her legs and focused. Just then the Alpha Rune burned against Jen’s skin. She cried out and yanked the pendant away from her skin. As she touched it images flashed in her mind and she blinked. It was like the Alpha Rune was showing her what she wanted to know. And luckily for them the silver haired enchantress wasn’t far away. Gwen stared at her. 

“What just happened?” 

“The Alpha Rune just told me where she is and she needs help, come on!” Jen set off at a run and Gwen swore scrambling to her feet to follow her cousin. When they arrived they found Charmcaster duking it out with a collection of the stone golems. She looked a bit wilder than she had last time they’d seen her. Her hair was a mess. Jen transformed on the fly, Swampfire diving directly into the fight. Gwen smacked three of them out of the way and Charmcaster stared at them. Gwen threw a shield up around them as one of the golems struck out at the distracted enchantress. 

“Head in the game please!” Gwen stated and Charmcaster nodded twirling her uncle’s old staff. Between the three of them they made quick work of their opponents. When all that was left was unmoving rubble Charmcaster turned to them staring between the two of them. 

“You came back? How?” Gwen explained how the Wellspring had flooded and they’d surfaced here in Ledgerdomain instead of in Bellwood. Charmcaster nodded as she stepped over to a large stone inscribed with runes. “Didn’t know there was a working Wellspring near Bellwood.” Jen shrugged. 

“There wasn’t. Not until recently. Charmcaster looked up at her but Gwen was interested in the rock. 

“Those are the runes for control! What is this?” Charmcaster sighed. 

“After you three left I managed to defeat Addwaitya, but breaking his control over the creatures and people here is a harder thing to do.” She circled the rock again and frowned. “He’s got stones like this all over the realm. If I had the Alpha Rune I could fix what he did to this place, but with it gone…” Jen looked Charmcaster over as Gwen glanced at her cousin. 

“If you got the Alpha Rune back, what would you do with it? Would you try and fix the world or try to mold it to what you wanted it to be no matter what the other people here thought about it?” Charmcaster blinked at her. 

“I want my people free, I’ve spoken to some of the golems and other beings I have managed to free, we all want the same thing. Freedom and stability here in Ledgerdomain.” Jen nodded and pulled off the chord holding the stone. She tossed it to Charmcaster who blinked down at the piece of immensely powerful magic she’d just been handed. “You got it back?” Jen nodded. 

“We did.” She didn’t elaborate. 

“And you’re trusting me with it? After everything I’ve done? Why?” Jen sighed as Gwen sent her a quizzical look. 

“Because I need to believe that someone can be redeemed. That there is still some good in existence somewhere.” Her voice was hollow as Gwen looked down at her shoes more sad than Charmcaster had ever seen the two of them. The silver haired sorceress fixed the chord around her neck and held up her hands chanting as they began to glow. The rock in front of them cracked and the runes dissolved. At the same time stones materialized, completing paths around them and the few scant trees burst into bloom around them. Jen managed a slight smile. Charmcaster held out her hands to both cousins. 

“I want to show you what you just saved, if you’ll let me.” Jen hesitated but took her hand just as Gwen did. In a blink they were standing on the balcony of what Jen recognized at the palace they had fought Addwaitya in front of. In front of the palace now was what looked like a burgeoning town filled with people who looked a lot like Charmcaster, different shades of silver hair and pink eyes. But there were creatures there that Jen didn’t recognize too. Charmcaster released their hands and floated up into the air. She pointed at one of the meager fields and chanted, it began to bloom and blossom. The people in the town paused looking at what was happening before cheering as the new blooming spread to the few broken trees. Charmcaster landed and pulled Jen into a hug. 

“Thank you. I’ve only read about times when Ledgerdomain was peaceful and prosperous, now I can make that true again.” Gwen smiled slightly as Charmcaster looked around. “Crap did I leave your boy behind? I didn’t see him.” She asked Gwen and the air around them seemed to darken. Charmcaster looked them over. 

“He wasn’t with us.” Jen said it with the finality of someone closing a topic of discussion permanently. Charmcaster nodded conceding the point. 

“I insist you stay for the feast. My honored guests for the night.” Both of them remained quiet. “Gwen, there’s a library I know you’d love.” Gwen perked up. Jen knew that she’d spend the night in there looking for a cure for Kevin.

“Couldn’t hurt.” In fact it was quite beautiful, Jen really wished that Gwen hadn’t slipped off to the library as soon as she physically could. It left her alone with Charmcaster which made her slightly nervous but spending time with the silver haired girl Jen realized that she really hadn’t known anything about her. She was only a year older than the cousins, raised here in Ledgerdomain until she was six when Addwaitya had grown bothered by her father’s rebellion. Spellbinder, the name her father used, had gotten himself killed getting her and her uncle out of here. Her uncle was a less than perfect guardian. He’d been trying to gather power to take control of all magic on Earth in an attempt to reopen a portal to Ledgerdomain and retake it from Addwaitya. 

“I feel sort of bad for squashing his plans all those times.” Jen frowned as they sat together at the head of the table in the palace’s long dining hall. Charmcaster shook her head. 

“Don’t, he went about it the wrong way, enslaving one group of people to free another isn’t right.” Jen nodded. 

“Glad we agree.” Charmcaster smiled and toasted her with her silver goblet. Jen grinned and returned the toast. 

“You know you could stay the night. It sounds like you’ve got a lot going on back home, you need a break.” Jen frowned. Charmcaster swirled the wine around her goblet. “And it would give Gwen more time with the library. Maybe she’ll find a solution to whatever problem’s got you acting so serious. Not that it’s a bad look on you but I honestly prefer your smile.” Jen blinked at her. 

“Are you flirting with me?” Charmcaster looked at her from under hooded eyes. 

“Is it working?” Jen laughed loudly after a few minutes Charmcaster joined her. Jen agreed after another glass of wine, which didn’t seem to affect her like the Appoplexian whiskey did, the alcohol content wasn’t nearly as high anyway. Gwen might find something in the library and it was nice to look out over the people celebrating and consider that for the first time in nearly a month she’d actually done something right. There was a knock on the door to her borrowed room. Charmcaster stood there and smiled at her. 

“Pink’s a good color on you.” Jen rolled her eyes as she looked down at the nightgown that had been provided for her. It was the same shade of pink as the enchantresses eyes and clashed horribly with the bright green Ultimatrix. Jen shrugged. 

“Not my favorite color but its nice, thank you.” Charmcaster shook her head. 

“I should be thanking you. Without the Alpha Rune it would have taken me years to reconstruct Ledgerdomain and fully break Addwaitya’s power. With it, it took me hours. I have something for you.” Jen shook her head. 

“Thanks but I don’t go for the whole ‘heroes reward’ thing.” Charmcaster frowned. 

“You do so much for everyone around you and you don’t even want the reward. Jen beckoned her over to the window and pointed at where the party was still going on. A large multi colored bonfire burned in the town square and people danced around it as conjured illusions of dragons and other mystical marvels spun through the air. 

“I do it for people like them. So they can have peace, even if I can’t.” Charmcaster nodded slightly as she watched her people celebrate their freedom. 

“I do like that way of thinking. But you could have peace. You could stay here. Just because Addwaitya’s power is broken doesn’t mean Ledgerdomain doesn’t need a hero.” Jen shook her head. 

“It doesn’t. It already has one.” Jen said looking her straight in the face. She blushed slightly and gently elbowed the brunette. 

“You’re cheesy but it’s cute.” She reached up and pulled something out from under the high collar of her shirt. It was a familiar silver ring and chain. Jen blinked as she unfastened it from around her neck and held it out to her. “But the thing I wanted to give you was already yours to begin with.” Jen hugged Charmcaster seeming to take her completely by surprise. She looked up at her, the silver haired girl, like most people Jen knew was taller than her. 

“Thank you. I thought I lost this forever.” Charmcaster held it out and Jen let her refasten the chain around her neck. “Why’d you save it?” Jen asked as she fiddled with the ring Ethan had given her what felt like years ago. Charmcaster shook her head as she looked back out the window. 

“Don’t know really, because I wanted you to keep your word and come back, I guess. It made it feel like you had to.” Jen looked over at her. 

“I would have anyway. I’m glad I got to come back so soon.” Charmcaster grinned and turned to her pecking her gently on the cheek.

“Me too. Get some sleep hero.” Jen blinked as the enchantress left the room.


	29. Possible Fix

“I found it!” Jen sat bolt upright with a start as a large book slammed down on the bed next to her. She scrambled away as she rubbed her eyes catching sight of her cousin. Her hair was down and slightly rumpled like she’d been running her hands through it. There was a slightly wild look in her eyes. 

“Found what?” Jen grumbled as she flopped backwards. She hadn’t slept this well in a very long time, without any dreams at all. 

“A solution to Kevin’s problem.” Jen rubbed her hands over her face and shook her head.

“You found a magical cure for insanity?” Gwen glared and flipped the book open to a bookmarked page. She held it up. It took a minute for Jen to focus on the image on the page. It was a familiar gold device. “The Dominus Librium?” Gwen nodded pulling the book back to herself. 

“Exactly! It can draw out the excess energy he absorbed. Micheal went too far, probably on purpose, when he used it. If used correctly it won’t take away Kevin’s powers completely just the energy that doesn’t belong.” Jen shook her head at her cousin. 

“We broke the Dominus Librium remember?” A voice came from the door as Gwen floundered. 

“Did you break the idol?” Both Tennyson’s turned to the door. Charmcaster stood there, holding a stack of clothes Gwen recognized as Jen’s. The silver haired girl stepped over to them and set down Jen’s clothes on the end of the bed. She pointed to the face in the middle of the drawing of the device. “This bit?” Jen shook her head. 

“No. Kevin snapped the arms off of it to save Gwen from the guy using it.” Charmcaster nodded. 

“It should still work but it’ll take more time. You may have to restrain him for a while and I don’t know that it will release the energy into the world again just into a vessel.” Jen frowned as she looked over the page. 

“What if we could channel the energy mechanically? Use the Librium to draw it out and release it through a machine attached to a vessel.” Charmcaster looked up at her intrigued. 

“That could work, a clever plan, how’d you think of it?” Jen was still examining the page. 

“I used to have an alien that could do something similar.” She said it quietly. Charmcaster had a good view of her face from where she sat and the empty look in deep green eyes made something inside her twist. That was the look of someone who’d lost more than friends or loved ones, that was the look of someone who’d lost a piece of themselves. She didn’t push. Gwen nodded, the glint of determination back in her eyes. 

“Now we just need to find the Librium.” 

“And Kevin.” Jen supplied. Charmcaster stood. 

“I’ll track the Librium. I can easily do it from here, you’ll have to retrieve it on your own but I can at least find it for you.” Gwen blinked at her. 

“Why are you helping us?” Gwen asked, a hint of mistrust in her voice. 

“You don’t trust me Gwen, there’s too much bad blood between us I get that. I’m helping your adorable cousin. Because she saved my realm by returning the Alpha Rune. And because she’s willing to give me a chance to be a hero too.” Charmcaster grinned at Jen who managed to smile back. The silver haired enchantress lifted both hands and they glowed for a moment. In each hand a small pocket mirror appeared. One was encrusted with pink jewels, the other with emeralds. She handed the emerald one to Jen and sat down next to her. “These will let us talk when we need to.” She opened the pink one and drew a simple rune on the surface of the cloudy glass within. The one in Jen’s hand glowed brightly and she opened it. It showed Charmcaster who smiled at the brunette before closing her mirror. “You try.” Gwen raised an eyebrow. 

“She doesn’t have any mana control though, not without transforming.” Charmcaster rolled her eyes at Gwen. 

“Sometimes I forget just how little you know.” Gwen glared as Charmcaster took Jen’s hand and guided her to trace the same symbol on the glass. Her own mirror lit up. “You don’t need magic powers to activate these. Just the right rune. The mirrors themselves have enough magic in them.” She smiled and opened her own waving slightly sarcastically at Jen in the mirror. She clicked her mirror closed. “I’ll let you change, breakfast is in the dining hall. When you’re ready.” She slipped out of the room with a smile. Gwen looked Jen over and raised an eyebrow. 

“Charmcaster?” Jen turned to her and raised an eyebrow right back. 

“Are you really one to be judging my choice in people?” Gwen looked down at her feet. Jen hugged her. “We’re gonna do what we can for Kevin. She’s willing to help. I’m willing to give her a chance.” Gwen nodded. 

“Get dressed, we need to head home.” Jen nodded and pushed her cousin out of the room so she could change. She slipped the mirror into her jacket pocket. She joined Gwen and Charmcaster for breakfast after which Charmcaster led them out into the back garden to summon the door back to Earth. Before she did so she pulled Jen aside and whispered a word into her ear being very careful that she got the pronunciation correct. 

“In case you want to come visit. But don’t give it to Gwen, I don’t want her popping by to bug me every time she has a magical issue.” She grinned and winked at the brunette, pecking her on the cheek. Jen blushed slightly and waved as they made their way out of the doors waving at Charmcaster as they closed. They were just outside Bellwood, near the crater. It was near noon if Gwen’s new phone was accurate. They made their way back to Jen’s car and found several Plumbers searching near it. She clicked the locks on making the horn beep, they all jumped looking around.

“Problem Agents?” One of them stepped forward. 

“You weren’t answering your com.” Jen nodded. 

“That happens when you’re in a separate dimension. What’s going on?” 

“Well Magister Patelliday said to call you when we caught wind of Kevin Levin and you didn’t answer your com!” Both girls stiffened. 

“You in charge of this division?” The woman nodded. She was human, or at least looked it, with blue eyes and chin length brown hair. “Good catch us up now.” Jen leaned on her car. The news wasn’t particularly good. Kevin had been spotted a few times in the outer rim of Plumber space only reported because of the shape he’d left his victims in. The good news so far was that the people he’d attacked were all criminals and they were all still alive. It seemed that they had all owed him something or another, some of them had just screwed him over on deals. Jen sighed as she made her way back to Los Soledad. 

Gwen was buried in the four days worth of homework they’d missed when they left, originally for Ledgerdomain. Jen was lucky she had Julie who was willing to help her with her English but right now she was more worried about what they would do when they got their hands on Kevin, or mor accurately what he would do when he got back to Earth. She knocked as she entered the old barracks that Cooper was using to build the device in. 

“Just me.” Cooper nodded as he began to put together another piece of the device. It was a work of engineering wonder. Designed to draw off the power Kevin had absorbed, hopefully without hurting him. Jen stepped up next to Cooper. He turned to her eyes glowing blue as they always did when he used his powers.

“Any news?” Jen shrugged. 

“He’s settling old scores but there’s not a pattern yet, we have no idea where he might show up. And the list of people who have fucked him over is long. I hold the number one position but who knows really. Plumbers are trying to track him but he’s got the camouflage capabilities of a Necrofriggian right now so it’s not easy.” Cooper nodded. 

“Neither is this. I can store the energy, even expel it but draining him without hurting him? I have no idea how to make that work.” Jen nodded. 

“We’re a step ahead of you on that.” She pulled her communicator out from under her shirt and pulled up and image of the page Gwen had found the information on the Dominus Librium on. “It’s a mystical artifact we’ve encountered before. Should be able to syphon the power with that and into the rig from there. Only problem is the who most likely currently has it.” Cooper raised an eyebrow. 

“Who?” 

“Micheal Morningstar.” Cooper’s eyes went wide. 

“The guy who ditched us during the fight with the DNAliens.” Jen nodded. 

“One and the same. I have a friend looking for the device, if he hasn’t chucked it then we’ll find him too. We need to convince him that only this machine can get it working again. We’ll need an instant release button for when he tries to double cross us.” Cooper nodded. 

“And the kill switch?” He asked it quietly. He was against the idea. It was a failsafe, the only thing about this machine that Gwen was unaware of. It would trigger a chemically induced heart failure in whoever the machine was holding. A tiny needle in the cuffs slipping the substance into the prisoner. Jen wasn’t convinced that Kevin was able to be saved. He might be too far gone with all the power he’d absorbed, his brain damaged beyond repair even if they got the energy back out of him. She nodded. 

“Keep it in. We might need it. I really don’t want us to, but we might. We’ll hope for the best, prepare for the worst.” Cooper nodded and Jen sat down in the corner to work on her science homework and offer what help she could to the blond technopath.


	30. Not Telling

A week passed and the only lead they had on Kevin was a human associate he’d attacked. Frisk had ended up with both legs broken, his right arm shattered and some severe damage to his muscular system. It was only because the Plumbers found him that he’d retain the use of his legs. Jen drove them away from the base where Frisk was being held until he was well enough to be transferred to Incarcecon. Gwen had no idea where they were heading. Both girls were silent. The fact that Kevin had gone so far over something as minor as Frisk not informing him that he’d had partners last time they made a deal, it was rattling, and telling of why they could find hide nor hair of Argit. Jen turned down a side street and pulled up to an apartment. Gwen frowned. 

“Why are we at Kevin’s?” Jen shook her head. 

“Call it a hunch.” She said as she slammed her way out of the car. She glanced around as she pulled a bobby pin from Gwen’s hair and began to pick the lock. It clicked after a moment and Jen pushed the door open. She motioned Gwen inside. The redhead slipped inside. It was trashed. Gwen swore under her breath. 

“If Kevin Levin is anything, he’s a creature of habit, why do you think I’m having his car watched.” Gwen stared at her cousin as she stepped deeper into the mess. 

“You’re doing what?” 

“Kevin’s car is under constant Plumber surveillance. In case he comes back for it. I wasn’t sure he would come back to his house, he’s not as attached to it. His mom’s currently in protective custody.” Gwen stared. 

“When did you do all of this?” 

“While you were in class taking your economics test.” Gwen frowned. 

“You’re supposed to be in school while I’m in school.” Jen shrugged. 

“Amazing what you can get done over the phone, isn’t it?” Gwen’s eyes narrowed.

“You told Kevin’s mom what happened to him, over the phone!” 

“Yes Gwen I’m a completely callous bitch. No I sent Grandpa Max, he knows her better than we do. Now are you going to talk or are you going to look for clues?” Jen ignored her cousin and began to search through the wreckage of the destroyed apartment. They found nothing until they ventured into Kevin’s room and Jen went through the things on his desk. The symbol scratched into the desk was a familiar one, at least to Jen. Gwen watched her as they made their way to Ed’s mechanic shop. 

“What’s the symbol for?” 

“You really should be doing your homework Miss Plumber.” Jen teased before growing serious again. “It’s the symbol the guards in Incarcecon use.” Gwen’s eyes went wide. 

“Kevin was in Incarcecon.” Jen nodded. 

“According to his record yeah, not for too long though about four months. Got caught trying to escape by the current warden. The prisoner who was with him was killed in the attempt. Kevin’s known to hold a grudge. If he’s settling scores, I think that’s where he’s headed next” Gwen frowned as they pulled into the mechanics shop. 

“If he’s settling scores…” 

“He’ll eventually come after me, yeah. But I’m not willing to wait around for him.” She locked the doors and waved at Ed as they made their way down into the hole. Pierce was there, filing paperwork. Jen grinned at him. 

“Hey Pierce. I need a hand. You’re helping out with the prisoner transfer paperwork, right?” Pierce looked her over curiously. 

“Yeah.” 

“So, protocol dictates that you’d have to know when the next supply skiff goes into Incarcecon right?” 

“Tomorrow, why?” Jen shrugged. 

“Curiosity. You’re the model of efficiency my friend!” She made to turn away. Pierce caught her hand. 

“This is about Kevin isn’t it?” Jen shook her head a convincing grin on her face. 

“Of course not.” Her left eye twitched. Pierce frowned. 

“Because if it was about Kevin, whom Magister Patelliday has strictly forbidden you in particular from going after for at least the next few days as you’re still supposed to be on furlough because of the extreme stress of your last mission…” Jen’s eyes narrowed at her. Pierce glanced between the two Tennysons. “I would in no way be allowed to tell you that the current code for the Incarcecon’s transporter is 6738Alpha.1265. But of course, telling you that would be against protocol. Along with the information that the skiff won’t be arriving until tomorrow evening. And if I were telling you any of this, which I’m not, I could also not tell you that Gwen should leave her badge behind as Plumbers aren’t allowed in Incarcecon.” 

“But of course you’re not telling us anything.” Jen said a slight grin on her face as she squeezed his hand in a silent thank you. He nodded. 

“No I’m not. I’m also not telling you to be careful.” Jen nodded and Gwen grinned at Pierce who went back to his paperwork. Jen nodded to her cousin who slipped her badge out of her pocket and set it onto the desk just out of Pierce’s sight. They made their way nonchalantly to the transporter room. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Their reception at Incarcecon was less than friendly. The warden, Morg, insisted that they were violating the agreement between Incarcecon and the Plumbers, which was sort of true except Jen wasn’t a Plumber and could go where she pleased freely. Besides this wasn’t Plumber business. Morg was still quite miffed at their presence and that set Jen’s nerves on edge. No one was this nervous without something to hide. Even when protocol was technically being violated. 

The robot guards were of no help, not even explaining why one of the prisoners was escorted away pushing what looked like a heavy hover cart normally used for mining. 

Of course they were locked in to their ‘quarters’, in reality a double cell. But Jen had a feeling that they wouldn’t be there for long. First of all, he hadn’t wanted them there in the first place, he’d get them on that skiff tomorrow evening come hell or high water. Secondly, he hadn’t left any spare guards around them. He should have if he wanted them to stay put. Jen turned into Goop, slipping out under the door and melting the lock from the outside. She and Gwen took off down the halls they’d seen the guards take the prisoner. The prison itself was quiet, almost eerily so. None of the prisoners were in their cells. So where were they all? A question Jen got the answer to quite quickly when they found the mining operation under the prison. 

“This isn’t supposed to be a labor camp. We need to tell the Plumbers about this. This isn’t right.” Gwen said, conviction in her voice. 

“I’m sorry to hear you say that.” They turned face to face with Morg and a platoon of his robot guards. “I’m also sorry you didn’t take my advice and stay put. I’m beyond sad that the prisoners got to you before I could stop them.” He nodded to his robots as Jen clicked on her communicator through her shirt. Though it was under a simple layer of cotton it would still work at collecting sound, without even muffling it. 

“Kill them both. Try not to make too much of a mess.” He walked away as the robots cocked their weapons and both girls got ready to fight.


	31. On The Inside

Jen had never done drugs and with her experience with the blue dust Morg was having the prisoners mine from below Incarcecon she wasn’t inclined to start any time soon. Her head still hurt even now on the skiff back to Earth. Several Plumber teams were retaking Incarcecon, Jen had sent her recording of Morg’s orders to kill them as evidence to the Magisters and left it at that handing Morg over to the authorities as soon as was humanly possible. She was currently laying on a set of empty crates with her jacket over her head to block out the light. She winced as the jacket was pulled aside. 

“We need to talk.” Gwen glared down at her cousin. Jen raised an eyebrow. 

“I think we’ve about covered everything.” She said petulantly snatching her jacket back. Gwen shook her head. 

“No we haven’t not until you get ‘putting Kevin down’ out of your head. He deserves a second chance.” Jen shook her head. 

“Gwen he’s had a second chance, and a third I’m not inclined to give him another.” She stood making to leave the hold and try and find a med kit that hopefully had some pain killers she could use to calm her pounding head. 

“What are you talking about? He was on his second chance when he sacrificed his sanity to save the universe!” Jen flinched, partially from her cousin’s guilt tripping and partly from the raised volume of her voice.

“No he was on his third. His first was when we met. His second was when the two of us got kidnapped by Slix Vigma and used as gladiators. He would have killed me if I hadn’t made friends with someone bigger than him.” Gwen stared as her cousin rummaged in one of the med kits. 

“When did this happen?” Jen sighed as her search came up empty. She grabbed one of the cool packs and activated it instead pressing it to her pounding head. 

“Remember that fight between me and Kevin at the windfarm?” 

“When the two of you disappeared and you showed back up in an escape pod, yeah. You never said what happened?” 

“Yeah well I didn’t like being cuffed to Kevin Levin and made to help him fight when the Omnitrix timed out. If we hadn’t started a prisoner revolt we’d have been taken out of the galaxy. We worked together for about twenty minutes I thought we could get back to earth together maybe put the whole thing behind us. Then he stabbed me in the back because he could. That was his second chance. So yeah he was on his third. I’m not ready to get stabbed again.” Gwen made to speak. 

“This isn’t up for debate Gwen.” Jen said glaring at her cousin under the ice pack. “He’d have killed the warden without a second thought, almost did. The only reason he left was because he thought he had. What happens when he comes after us? When he goes after Grandpa Max for not being able to save his dad. What happens then? Are you gonna talk him down? Cause that really worked today. Kevin’s gone Gwen I don’t thing we’re getting him back.” Gwen was silent for a moment. She took a deep breath. 

“Let me try. The machine Cooper’s making, when we pair it with the Dominus Librium. We can save him Jen, I have to believe that. Please let me try.” Jen looked up at the tears shining in her cousin’s eyes. 

“You get a chance. But that’s all I can offer. He goes after you or Grandpa Max, that chance goes out the window.” Gwen nodded slightly then frowned. 

“What about you?” Jen shrugged as she leaned back draping her jacket back over her head laying it on the ice pack. 

“Him coming after me is inevitable. But if you’re right and he’s still in there he might not come after Grandpa Max and shouldn’t come after you. Whatever Kevin is he’s in love with you.” She didn’t see the tears spring from her cousin’s eyes as she walked away. She really wasn’t sure though. Kevin had definitely not been himself at Incarcecon, he’d been bent only on revenge. He’d been without a real driving intelligence. Just anger. He’d spoken but it was more of a growl and he’d disregarded Gwen almost entirely. Jen sighed as she closed her eyes. A bright light made her open them not too long after. For a moment she thought that someone had pulled off her jacket again, but it was still over her head. She frowned and fought with the pockets for a moment before pulling out the emerald coated mirror which was glowing brightly. She flipped it open to Charmcaster’s smiling face. The smile fell from her face in a moment when she saw Jen’s face though. 

“You look like hell.” Jen nodded. 

“Probably. Alien drugs will do that to you.” Charmcaster grimaced. 

“You were drugged?” Jen shrugged. 

“Sort of. It’s not important.” Charmcaster’s frown grew. 

“Sounds pretty important. Are you ok?” Jen nodded. 

“I’m fine, just a killer hangover and I’m not on Earth so I can’t even take anything for it.” She sighed and Charmcaster tilted her head at her. 

“Any of your aliens have mana control?” Jen nodded. 

“Not sure what the leftovers of this drug in my system might do to them though so I don’t want to risk transforming until it’s out of my system.” Charmcaster nodded. 

“Sounds smart. I may have a lead on the Dominus Librium. Nothing concrete yet but it’s definitely still in the continental US.” Jen shrugged. 

“That’s good to know.” 

“Aside from the drugging are you ok?” Jen sighed looking up at the ceiling and reactivating the cold pack. It was a lovely piece of tech that like a heating pack could be activated more than once and lasted for only two hours at a time. They must be nearing Earth by now. 

“Sure.” Charmcaster raised an eyebrow. 

“Ok I don’t know you that well and even I know you’re lying.” Jen glared at the mirror in her hand. Then she shook her head. 

“Tell me something good please I need it in my life right now.” Charmcaster nodded. 

“Well the people of Ledgerdomain got together and agreed to a council of elders to do most of the ruling. But named me Queen to preside over them.” Jen raised an eyebrow and laughed slightly. 

“Don’t expect me to call you ‘your majesty’ I’ve been calling you Charmcaster for too long.” The silver haired enchantress laughed. 

“Of course not I’d never expect my friends to call me anything else.” Jen smiled lightly but it slipped into a frown quite quickly. 

“Are we friends?” Charmcaster looked contemplative. 

“I’d like us to be. You helped me take back my home, in more than one way. You gave me a chance, it means a lot to me.” Jen nodded. 

“Say you had a friend, who was known to stab people in the back. They’ve done a lot of good, even saved your life a few times, but they do something that you know you can’t forgive. Or almost do it. But you know they won’t stop. What would you do?” She asked it so quietly she wasn’t sure for a moment if Charmcaster had heard her. Then she looked down at the mirror in her hand and saw Charmcaster was watching her with fascination. Caught in the act the sorceress frowned. 

“You’ve given them a chance before? Did they use it well?” 

“Once yes.” 

“You can’t discount that. My advice? Wear armor.” When Jen frowned at her she shrugged. “Be ready for the knife, know that they’ve stabbed you once they’re likely to do it again. But if they’ve used their chances wisely they might deserve another. I don’t know Kevin well enough to say yes or no either way.” 

“I never said it was Kevin.” Charmcaster laughed. 

“You know when you lie your left eye twitches?” Jen blushed slightly. “It’s cute. Besides he and your cousin are closest to you and I can’t see Gwen ever stabbing you in the back, even when you didn’t get along. You two care so deeply and I think you’ve been burned for it more than she has.” Jen looked away from the mirror. 

“That’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Charmcaster added quickly. “I wish I could feel like you do I don’t know how you do it and stay sane. With everything you do. I’ve been a hero in Ledgerdomain for less than a month and I’m about ready to tear my hair out.” Jen laughed and looked back down at the mirror. 

“I’d say it gets better but it really doesn’t.” Charmcaster nodded. 

“I had a feeling you’d say that. But when this is over, no matter how it ends come to Ledgerdomain. You’ll need a vacation.” Jen smiled slightly at the enchantress. 

“How do you figure?” Charmcaster shrugged. 

“You won’t wanna be around your cousin and her boyfriend when they’re making up. Call it a hunch.” If things went the other way she’d need a place to pull her pieces back together but Charmcaster had the tact to not bring up that alternative. Jen sighed.

“A vacation sounds really good I might just take you up on that.” Charmcaster smiled pink eyes twinkling. 

“I hope you do, and just to clarify, I do like you and might even take you out on a date when you vacation here. If you’re up for it.” Jen laughed again resting her head back against the ice pack. 

“Honestly something as simple as a real date sounds nice. Once all this is done.” She twiddled with the ring on the silver chain around her neck it was warm from resting near her skin but it felt almost like permission. Julie was right that Ethan wouldn’t want her to sit around and mourn for the rest of her life. “But we’ll go slow.” She said to Charmcaster who nodded. 

“I can live with slow. I’ll call again when I’ve got a clearer lead on the Dominus Librium. You can call anytime.” Jen nodded. 

“Thank you Charmcaster.” 

“My pleasure hero.” The mirror fogged over eclipsing the image as Jen felt the skiff land. She sighed not looking forward to the talking to she was going to get from Magister Patelliday. But he wasn’t the one waiting for them when they deboarded the skiff. Grandpa Max stood in the hanger and both girls ran into his arms, not caring that he had to tell them off for literally loosing every alien in a prison in the Null Void. Jen let him lead Gwen away as she cried over Kevin’s loss again she said nothing slipping off to talk to Cooper. 

“How are we doing?” She asked. 

“Pretty good. It’s done, if you can get your hands on the Dominus Librium thing. It should work.” She nodded. 

“Thank you Cooper.” He nodded to her.

“No problem. Is Gwen gonna be ok?” Jen shrugged. 

“I have no idea. Kevin almost killed someone today, would have if we hadn’t been there. We don’t kill. She’s not taking what we might have to do well. You haven’t told her about it have you?” Cooper shook his head, he’d kept his word and kept his mouth shut about the kill switch. 

“I still don’t like it.” Jen nodded. 

“Me either. Where’s Pierce?” 

“On a transport to the Academy.” Jen raised both eyebrows. Pierce was a full fledged Rookie Plumber, he didn’t need the Academy despite having never been. Cooper seemed to notice her confusion. “He volunteered to take some new recruits and supplies, so he could spend some time with the Max Force. I stayed to finish our project.” Jen nodded and patted him on the shoulder.

“Thanks Cooper.” He nodded as Jen set off after her grandfather.


	32. Academic

Jen called ahead to the Plumber academy and the evacuation of the younger cadets and less experienced Trainees was well underway by the time the station came into sight which was good because they had maybe an hour head start on Kevin. If they were lucky. Jen nodded to the Plumbers working on evacuating the academy and stepped over to the magister in charge, an old friend of Max’s.

“Magister Coronach.” Jen nodded to him he nodded back eyes steely. 

“I wish we were meeting under better circumstances Miss Tennyson,” he nodded to Gwen, “Miss Tennyson. We’ve evacuated all non combatants. We’re working on the younger Cadets, and trainees but we’ve had a lot volunteer to stay behind and help.” Jen shook her head. 

“They can help by getting out of the way Kevin isn’t playing anymore. I won’t have anyone’s death on my conscience.” Argit piped up behind her. 

“That includes me right?” Jen glared at him. 

“Stick him in a cell, for his own safety.” Two Plumbers nodded at her and took Argit away. Magister Coronach frowned the frill on the top of his head flexing almost nervously. 

“You’re sure you can beat him. We’ve heard rumors about how much power he’s got.” Jen cut him off with a look as a few of the remaining cadets rushed past them towards the transports. 

“Just get your people out as quickly as you can.” Coronach stiffened. 

“With all due respect not all of us are leaving. He was a Plumber that makes him Plumber business. You’re a Specialist Miss Tennyson and I respect that, I respect the hell out of your grandad, he’s a good man. But we won’t stand aside. It’s what we train for.” Jen glared at him. 

“He will kill you, he’s come too close to doing so recently not to. He’s not after you or your Rookies. He’s after Argit and me. Your people are going to get in the way.” 

“Miss Tennyson this is our job.” Jen sighed. This argument was getting them nowhere and Kevin could be here any minute. 

“Fine! The fully ranked Plumbers can stay I want everyone else off this station as soon as possible!” Magister Coronach nodded to her and went to make her orders a reality. Gwen stared at her cousin, she’d never seen her so in charge of a situation before. 

“Grandpa’s right you’d make the best of the Plumbers.” She said offhandedly. Jen pulled a face as they scouted the base for the best place to make their stand. 

“Too many rules.” Gwen managed a small smile. 

“And yet you’re barking orders with the best of them.” Jen rolled her eyes at her cousin and for a moment they weren’t preparing to wage war on a close friend, they were facing another innocuous threat. But it was just like old times. Then it wasn’t as the alarms started blaring and the speaker system came to life. 

“All remaining Plumbers to battle stations! This is not a drill. Station breach on the observation deck!” Jen grabbed the nearest Plumber by the collar, no mean feat as he was about two feet taller than her.

“Which way to the Observation deck!” She shouted over the alarm. 

“Down the hall take the first left then a right you can’t miss it!” He huffed out. She released the Loboan and raced off, Gwen hot on her heels. Scout raced off to his station, he and Rook were covering the escape of the few remaining cadets. 

“You are never going to believe who I just saw!” Scout crowed excitedly as he slipped into the copilot seat, Rook taking the controls. 

“Now is not the time Scout!” Rook said as he pulled the freighter full of students out of the satellite. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

If the Vreedles hadn’t interfered the fight might have been more decisive, which wasn’t necessarily a good thing. Jen had been forced to take their nuke grenade out of the base as Ultimate Echo-Echo, using soundwaves to control the explosion until she could get it far enough away from the base so that no one would be harmed. It was a very good thing that Sonorosian’s had incredible lung capacities or she might not have made it back to the nearest air lock she could find. 

She pounded on it and one of the Plumbers let her back in but she was too late. Kevin had fled Argit laying seemingly dead on the ground. Gwen was pulling herself to her feet tears streaming down her face. Jen stepped over to Argit. She frowned down at him. Magister Coronach frowned. 

“You don’t need to be here for this Miss Tennyson.” 

“Don’t patronize me Magister. Argit get up.” They glanced at her. The Magister looked a little sad. 

“He’s gone.” He said it softly but Jen kicked Argit in the side gently and spoked again. 

“Kevin’s gone, you can quit with the charade now.” Gwen and the Magister stared as Argit peeked an eye open and breathed out a sigh of relief. 

“How did you know he could do that?” Magister Coronach asked a bit amazed. 

“Please how could a person as annoying as Argit survive this long without being able to do that.” Argit pouted. 

“I’m hurt Jenny! Genuinely hurt! If I hadn’t turned off my pulse Kev would have kept going! I did this as much for him as I did for me!” Jen rolled her eyes. 

“Take him into custody.” Magister Coronach nodded and a few of the remaining Plumbers stepped forward and took Argit away. Jen thought they looked familiar but as she turned to as Gwen she found that her cousin was standing at the edge of the observation deck watching the stars. She quickstepped up the stairs and slowly stepped up to her cousin letting her brush away the tears on her face. 

“I reached him. For a second there I reached him. I can still save him.” Jen sighed. 

“I know you want to believe that but he literally only left because he thought Argit was dead. Who’s he going after next? Can you tell me with absolute certainty that we’ll get there before him this time too? Gwen, look at me.” Bloodshot green met determined green as the redhead met her eyes. “Some people can’t be saved. Some people are too far gone.” 

“He could have killed me Jen! He was inches away but he stopped! You have to let me save him!” Jen shook her head. 

“You get a chance but he hurts anyone else and he loses that chance. He’s out for blood Gwen. Do you really think he’s ever going to stop?” Gwen glanced back out the glass into the void. “I know you love him. I’m not asking you to put him down. And I’m not asking you to forgive me for doing it. But you need to realize it’s necessary.” Jen glanced out of the glass. “I’ll meet you on the Rustbucket in a few minutes.” She walked away leaving her cousin alone with her thoughts. 

Gwen really didn’t want to be alone with her thoughts right now, but neither did she want to be with the cold efficient hero Jen was becoming. There would be no coming back for either of them if this went badly. If Kevin killed, actually managed to kill someone, she knew deep down she would lose him for good. That small smolder of the man she knew in his eyes doused by spilled blood. But on the other side if Jen did what she believed was necessary she would step over a line she’d been so careful to avoid since she was ten years old. She would never be the same person again. As cold as she acted Gwen knew she was hurting too, it was plastered all over her aura. Kevin had been her best friend. She didn’t want to have to do what might be necessary but if it proved to be she knew Gwen wouldn’t be able to. Gwen shook as she remembered the last thing Kevin had said to her. 

‘The only reason you’re still alive is because of what you used to mean to me!’ Used to. Did that mean that the insanity had driven his love for her out of his heart. Jen wouldn’t hesitate if Kevin tried to kill her again. Honestly it was lucky for Kevin that the cadets had fired a nuke and distracted Jen. If she’d seen how he’d attacked her she would have snapped on the spot and everything would have come out differently. She had to find a way to set this right, there had to be a way. She straightened and headed for the Rustbucket her resolve hardened. Two of the people she loved teetered on a knifes edge. She had to be the one to pull them back.


	33. Too Far

Jen got the call on the way back to Earth. She detoured quickly and Gwen frowned, she’d been in the back checking on some of the minor damage Kevin had done to the ship. 

“What’s going on?” Jen shook her head praying they wouldn’t be too late but they were. They pulled to the Plumber station and Jen raced out of the ship and was met by a very familiar Apollonite. Veraxi bowed. 

“It is good to see you, I wish it was under better circumstances.” Jen nodded. 

“Where are they?” Veraxi beckoned them to follow her. Gwen was beyond confused until they reached the med bay. Only Pierce was recognizable since he had looked mostly human to begin with. But his spikes were gone and he was out cold face twisted in pain. The girl on the bed next to him didn’t look familiar, her skin was pale and she didn’t look quite human. It took a moment for Gwen to recognize her. It was Hellen, looking drained, she too was out cold. Manny took up the last bed. He too was unconscious and pale. Jen turned to the doctor, one Gwen recognized immediately. How Albrasix, youngest prince of Apollo I, had ended up as a Plumber doctor so quickly was a mystery but here he stood data pad in hand a frown on his face. 

“They have been drained, their powers are gone. I would not have believe it if Pierce had not called him by name but it was Kevin.” Jen nodded, hands curling into fists. 

“Can you help them?” Albrasix’s frown deepened. 

“I can keep them comfortable. I can not save them. Their life force is drained. If you can defeat Kevin, release the power back into the universe it will return to its proper place. But without it they will die eventually.” Jen nodded. Albrasix bowed to her. 

“I wish our reunion had been more pleasant.” Jen let out a slight laugh.

“Me too. You look good, but I don’t have time to catch up. Where’s Allen?” Albrasix shook his head. Running a finger down his data pad. 

“He was not on the same shuttle as them when the Academy was evacuated.” He tapped a few times and nodded. “It appears the shuttle he was on made it away from Kevin. It is heading towards Earth.” Jen nodded. 

“We need to beat him to Allen.” Gwen was shaking as Jen thanked Albrasix who took her hand and kissed the back of it. 

“I wish I could do more, I will watch over them.” Jen nodded. 

“I’ll beat Kevin.” She grabbed Gwen by the elbow and dragged her back into the ship. They shot off at speeds that were inadvisable at best. Gwen was still shaking. Jen was silent until a light bloomed from her pocket. She pulled out the mirror Charmcaster had given her and tossed it to Gwen. Her knuckles were white on the controls. Gwen opened the compact and cleared her throat. 

“Oh Gwen.” Charmcaster sounded disappointed. 

“We’ve got a situation here, what do you want?” Gwen asked her voice shaking. 

“Is Jen ok?” Jen spoke clearly and calmly, a kind of white rage under her words. 

“Define ok?” 

“Well you’re alive I’ll take it as a win.” Jen glanced at the mirror. 

“Look I do like talking to you and all but several of my friends are dying right now because of Kevin so maybe later?” Gwen made to close the mirror with a nod from Jen but paused as Charmcaster spoke again. 

“I found the Librium!” Gwen felt hope blossom in her heart. 

“We can still save him.” 

“He’s not in there anymore Gwen, there’s nothing left of Kevin to save.” Gwen felt her heart sink to somewhere near her shoes as Jen pulled the Rustbucket into Earth’s atmosphere. 

“You promised me I had a chance to save him.” 

“He lost that chance when he attacked the team.” Jen had pulled them over Allen’s farm and flicked off her controls. She raced out the back of the ship, leaping into the air as she transformed. Gwen looked imploringly at the mirror in her hand. 

“Where is the Librium?” Charmcaster nodded and fired off an address. Gwen took control of the Rustbucket and flew it away. She just hoped that they wouldn’t kill each other by the time she got back. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jen had managed to save Allen’s life but not his powers. She had several Plumber agents protecting Cooper where he was waiting at Los Soledad. She dropped off Allen at the base and took off on her motorcycle looking for Kevin. Her car had a tracker in it but the one in the bike still hadn’t been replaced from when she’d taken it out. She was going to end this, no matter what, she wouldn’t fail anyone else. Kevin needed to be put down as soon as possible. Her com link beeped to life. 

“Not interested in talking Gwen.” 

“This isn’t Gwen.” Grandpa Max’s voice echoed into her helmet. She shook her head. 

“She couldn’t talk me out of it, so she went to you.” Jen said taking over the wind around her as she sped down a side road out towards where the Forever knights had said Vulkanus was hiding. At the moment he was her best lead on Kevin. 

“She did call yes.” Jen’s eyes narrowed. 

“And you agree with her.” 

“No.” Jen frowned. 

“What?”

“Kevin’s gone off the rails he needs to be stopped. It’s the logical move, it’s the strategic move. It’s what I’d do. But it’s not your move. You never give up like this. You always find another way. You saved an entire race doing just that.” Jen frowned at the thought of Reiny in Kevin’s position. Max continued. “Kevin was a sociopath when he was a kid, and you trusted him anyway.” 

“Yeah look where that got us.” 

“He’s grown into a good man, he’s saved the world a dozen times. You should know you were there.” 

“Ok I’m getting mixed messages here Grandpa.” He sighed. 

“I am trying to make sure you know what you’re doing. You do this and there’s no going back. This is something you can’t undo. You know that. Once he’s gone there’s no magic button to bring him back.” Jen nodded. 

“Yeah I’m well aware of that.” 

“Good. I needed to hear you say that you know what you’re doing. No matter what happens I love you kiddo.” Jen nodded pulling her bike into the mouth of the cave. 

“Yeah, tell me that after I deal with Kevin.” She clicked off her com unit and sighed to herself. Gwen found her, and she brought Micheal Morningstar along. He had kept part of the Dominus Librium and agreed to help if the machine could fix him along with Kevin. Jen fought them on it for a while, but it was mostly for show. If they could get Kevin into the machine, putting him down became infinitely easier and more humane. Gwen insisted on going in alone to get Kevin to come with them. It did not go well but Kevin got a taste of Gwen’s power and according to Micheal that was the goal. Gwen was the bait to get Kevin to go where they needed him. 

Gwen’s plan to talk him down, including Grandpa Max and Kevin’s mom backfired spectacularly but it did get Kevin to follow them. Jen was glad Gwen had called in Julie, Kevin wouldn’t go after her. She had no powers to steal but when he tried to kill Cooper she intervened as Ultimate Echo-Echo. Surrounding him in the disks that blasted this version of her transformation’s sound was easier than it should have been. He collapsed to the ground unconscious. She floated one of the disks inches from his face. At this range a single blast of sound at a high enough frequency would liquify his brain killing him instantly. 

“I’m sorry Kevin.” 

“Jen no!” Gwen called out as Jen made to blast the sound into Kevin’s face. He still hadn’t stirred. “Please, you promised me I got a chance. This is that chance! You have to let me save him.” Her hands were glowing pink, she was ready to fight for her shot at saving Kevin, tears pricking at her eyes. Jen sighed. Either way now there would be a way to stop Kevin. She twisted the dial on her Ultimatrix and transformed again, this time into Four Arms. She hefted Kevin up and carried him into the lab. She hooked him up into the machine before the Ultimatrix timed out. Cooper was instructing Micheal how to hook up the Dominus Librium to the machine. Gwen stepped in front of the controls. 

“Move Gwen.” 

“Promise me you won’t hurt him.” Jen stared at her, her eyes still cold. 

“We’re trying this your way. If it doesn’t work you know what I have to do.” Gwen’s face fell. Cooper stepped over to the controls. He was slightly bruised but no worse for the ware otherwise. Jen stepped around her cousin and up to the controls. She and Cooper made a few adjustments and nodded to each other. Jen pulled the switch and the power drain began. It did sound like it hurt him, drawing out the energy he’d stolen. But in moments he was human again. Jen’s hand hovered over a small switch set into the top of the console. Cooper frowned at her as Kevin blinked. Gwen, scraped and bruised, her shirt torn slightly stepped up to Kevin. 

“Kevin?” Her voice was trembling. He blinked dark eyes at her confused. 

“Gwen?” Comprehension filled his eyes and tears followed not a second later. “What have I done?” Jen’s hand moved from the switch it had been hovering over to the release button on the restraints. Kevin fell into Gwen’s arms. Cooper smiled. Micheal cackled. He rose off the ground, skin turning golden as he grasped the Dominus Librium still attached to the machine.

“Fools! All of you! This was my plan from the beginning! I wanted the power all to myself!” Jen rolled her eyes as she flicked another few switches and a panel lifted revealing a red button. 

“Like we didn’t all see that coming.” She slammed her hand into the button and the Librium split in two where the machine was connected to it. Micheal screamed as light filled the room forcing everyone to close their eyes. Gwen held onto Kevin like she was never letting go again. When the lights died down the room was far more crowded than it had been. Jen blinked the Andromeda aliens that they thought Aggregor had killed were there standing confused. Kevin was himself again and Micheal was back to his grey skinned sunken form. He hissed in rage and ran. Jen let him go as she pulled out her com unit. She called Albrasix who was more than happy to report that the Max Force was making a speedy recovery. 

Gwen had thrown herself into Kevin’s arms enthusiastically. Grandpa Max cleared his throat as several Plumbers came into the building and primed their weapons waiting for orders. Jen rolled her eyes. 

“Get them home, please.” She ordered gesturing at the Andromeda aliens who were all very confused but at this point just happy to be alive. Her hands were shaking but she hid it well as the Plumbers escorted the Andromeda aliens out of Los Soledad. It took another few minutes for Gwen and Kevin to detach from each other. When they did Gwen pulled Kevin to his feet he looked around regret written plainly on his face. He turned to Jen. 

“I...” She shook her head. 

“We both said things we regret. Let’s leave it at that and move on.” Kevin hesitated but nodded holding Gwen close. Jen turned away and Grandpa Max patted her on the shoulder. 

“I’m proud of you for finding another way.” Jen shook her head. 

“Be proud of Gwen. I had a backup plan to…” She left it hanging in the air as she stuffed her hands in her pockets. 

“Jen!” She turned at her cousin’s call and just barely caught the mirror tossed her way. Gwen smiled. “Thank you for giving him a chance.” Jen shook her head. 

“I didn’t give it to him. I gave it to you.” Kevin nodded seeming to understand what she meant. He held Gwen a little tighter as Jen turned away and clicked the key fob for her motorcycle. It didn’t need keys, just a Plumbers badge or the Ultimatrix but the key fob summoned it from wherever it might be parked. It didn’t take long for the bike to show up. Max raised an eyebrow at her. 

“You ok Kiddo?” Jen looked over at him, there were tears in her eyes and her hands were shaking again. 

“I need a break.” Her voice broke and Max stepped forward to pull her into a hug but she had already mounted her bike and taken off out of Los Soledad.


	34. Escape

No one stopped her when she pulled into the base, she paused to check on Allen, who was doing fine and really just wanted to leave to check on them. She reassured him that everyone was fine a smile plastered on her face. She bowed out quickly knowing she didn’t have a long head start on Grandpa Max or Gwen who were both likely trying to find her and check on her which was exactly what she didn’t want right now. She took one of the Plumber crafts. It was surprisingly easy to hijack. That would need to be fixed but not for now. It only took her a few minutes to fly though the atmosphere and land on the tiny spits of land that made up the runway to the Doors to Anywhere. Jen debarked the ship and made sure it was anchored to the rocks. She left her com unit on board the ship with a note. 

‘Gone to Ledgerdomain, I’ll be back.’ Nothing more. She made her way across the rocks to the doors as the sea spat water at her. She took a deep breath and spoke the word Charmcaster had given her when she’d left Ledgerdomain last. Pink runes appeared on the doors and they opened. Jen glanced around her and stepped into the gateway letting the door slam shut behind her. She looked up at the pink sky as she slid down the doors that had closed behind her. She buried her head in her knees and sobbed. 

That was how Charmcaster found her nearly an hour later. Though by the time the white haired enchantress had found her she had cried herself to sleep. She hadn’t gotten any in days and she was exhausted and emotionally spent. Charmcaster gathered her up carefully, by hand. She could have used magic to float her but it didn’t feel as personal. She shook her head at the sleeping brunette in her arms. 

“You push yourself too hard.” In a blink they were in Charmcaster’s palace. She’d made some changes to Addwaitya’s fortress using the Alpha Rune. She nodded to the golems guarding the place and took Jen into her own chambers. The bed there was exceedingly large, draped in silks in various shades of pink. She laid Jen down on it and pulled of her shoes as the hero curled up into the comfortable fabrics. She snorted as the green clad hero began to snore. In a wave of her hands the hero was covered in one of the blankets. Charmcaster nodded, satisfied for the moment as she drew the curtains around the bed and stepped to the desk. She picked up a crystal ball and frowned over her shoulder. She decided this investigation would be better served elsewhere and teleported to her library. 

She spun the ball in her hands and an image resolved in it as she set it down in a stand on the nearest table. Gwen was behind the wheel of Kevin’s car the boy himself in the passenger seat. So they had made up then. Charmcaster focused and the sounds came though the image as though she was sitting in the backseat. 

“What do you mean her mana vanished?” Kevin sounded worried as Gwen’s eyes glowed pink and she shook her head. 

“It means I can’t feel her anymore.” Charmcaster could guess who they meant. She focused on Kevin. 

‘Tell her to pull over.’ She compelled him, just a suggestion dropped into the brain. 

“Gwen pull over. You need to explain what’s happening the last thing I remember clearly is the Forge. I remember being angry and hungry and very, very well psychotic. I get what happened with me, the power went to my head. But what happened to Aggregor.” Gwen pulled over her knuckles still white on the steering wheel. 

“He’s comatose in Incarcecon. Was comatose, probably not anymore but he was put in a special cell designed for Osmosians. We won’t be dealing with him again.” She took a deep breath and pulled Kevin in for a hug which he readily returned. 

“Ok, that’s good. If it’s over though why are you so worried about Jen.” Gwen took a deep breath her head buried in Kevin’s shirt. 

“Because of what she was ready to do.” Kevin frowned pulling back slightly. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Kevin she was ready to kill you.” Kevin looked Gwen over for a moment. 

“Good.” She stared at him holding on tighter. 

“What do you mean?” Kevin shook his head. 

“Gwen I almost killed you. I almost killed Manny and Hellen and Pierce and Allen. I may have killed Argit.” His face went pale, but Gwen cut him off. 

“You didn’t. He can stop his pulse. He’s fine. In Plumber custody with fourteen active warrants but alive.” Kevin breathed out a sigh of relief. He took a deep breath as he looked down at her again. 

“I’m glad that Jen was ready to put me out of my misery before I hurt anyone else. I’m surprised she didn’t put me down the minute I went after you.” Gwen held on tighter. 

“She almost did.” He pulled her into a kiss. 

“I am beyond happy that you saved me but if it happens again and I can’t be saved I need you to step aside and let her do what needs to be done.” Charmcaster had heard enough. As Gwen began to tear up she folded her legs and focused touching the crystal ball. 

“I hate to interrupt the moment.” Gwen and Kevin leapt apart as the familiar voice sounded from the backseat. Kevin grabbed the metal gear shift absorbing the material as Gwen’s hands lit up pink. Charmcaster raised her hands slowly. 

“Relax I come in peace!” Kevin didn’t release the metal but Gwen lowered her hands. 

“Charmcaster. Why are you here?” The silver haired enchantress shook her head.

“Technically I’m not. I’m astral projecting. I just thought you might want to know I found your cousin passed out on my doorstep, literally.” Gwen frowned then swore to herself. 

“Shit, she probably hasn’t slept since we left Ledgerdomain last.” Charmcaster nodded. 

“Yeah I sort of figured that was the case. She’s asleep in my castle now. Doing fine physically but I’m not sending her home until she’s feeling better emotionally.” Kevin frowned. 

“Why do you care?” Charmcaster regarded him. 

“Why did you initially?” She didn’t give him the chance to answer her question. “She gave me a chance, I’d like to live up to it. I’ll send her home eventually.” Gwen glared at Charmcaster for a moment. 

“Don’t abuse the faith she put in you.” Charmcaster glared right back a sly grin coming over her face. 

“If your cousin comes home with any marks at all it’ll be the same ones I left on her last time she left Ledgerdomain.” With that she vanished. 

Kevin stared into the backseat. 

“What marks was she talking about?” He looked over at Gwen who had gone slightly pink. 

“Lipstick print.” She muttered as she pulled back out onto the road. Kevin blinked glancing into the empty backseat before looking over at Gwen who was still bruised and scraped up. He took her hand and squeezed gently. 

“Jen can take care of herself, if this whole fiasco has proved anything it’s proved that. Take us too the base you need medical.” Gwen glanced at him with a slight smile and nodded.


	35. Out Of Her Head

Jen woke up comfortable and warm, without the pounding headache and feeling better than she had in ages. She lounged in that feeling for a few minutes. It had been too long since she’d woken up well rested. But some part of her brain, likely the long held paranoia, told her she shouldn’t be as comfortable as she was if she’d fallen asleep. She blinked her eyes open half expecting to find the familiar green clouded glass of the Genesis Cradle. Instead she was assaulted with pink. It wasn’t hot pink but it was all she could see. She struggled and managed to free herself from the blanket that had been over her head. She was in a spacious bed covered in pink silks. She had a suspicion she knew who had rescued her from her nap on the cold door to Ledgerdomain. But she wasn’t sure. Her hand went on instinct to the Ultimatrix, right where it was supposed to be. She sat up fully, letting the silk slide off her. The only thing missing were her shoes. She slipped out of the bed and pushed aside the curtain. 

The room beyond was spacious and unfamiliar but the neatly stacked books in languages Jen had never seen gave her some hint as to where she was. She got confirmation when she stepped over to the window and looked out over the small town in front of Charmcaster’s palace. It had to be around midday if the bustle of the market below was anything to go by. Jen smiled as laughter and music echoed up to the window. 

“Good to see you back on your feet.” A voice came from the doorway. Jen turned and smiled at Charmcaster. She was dressed in her usual outfit but the Alpha Rune hung around her neck. Jen smiled lightly at the familiar face. 

“Good to know I was in good hands when I was asleep.” Charmcaster’s grin grew more soft. 

“Well anyone could have found you where you were. You want to talk about why you passed out on my doorstep?” Jen frowned slightly. She leaned in the window.

“We won. We fixed Kevin, we got the aliens home.” She sighed, glancing back out of the window. Charmcaster stepped over to her. 

“But it doesn’t feel like you won?” Jen nodded slightly. “Why?” Jen was silent for a moment, it made Charmcaster wonder if she would tell her at all. Maybe they weren’t there yet. But before she could change the subject Jen spoke still looking out the window. 

“I almost killed Kevin.” 

“Accidents happen.” Jen shook her head. 

“It was completely intentional. I was going to use the soundwaves of one of my aliens to liquify the grey matter of his brain. He wouldn’t have felt anything but he’d have been gone.” Charmcaster was silent for a moment. 

“You had a reason?” Jen nodded. 

“He was going to kill Gwen, he hurt my friends.” Charmcaster nodded. 

“I’ve done worse for less. I’ve literally tortured people because I was told to by the only family I had.” She sighed looking out the window at the people below. “I’m trying to do better but that’s all that we can ever do. Try.” Jen nodded as Charmcaster straightened. “If you’re feeling up to going out the market is a lot of fun, things you’ll never find anywhere else. But there’s a condition.” Jen raised an eyebrow. Charmcaster raised both hands and a stack of clothes materialized in her hands. “You will stick out like a sore thumb in those clothes.” Jen laughed looking down at her jacket. It was slightly torn from her fight with Kevin. She nodded and took the clothes from the enchantress. Charmcaster grinned at her and left the room. 

Jen had been expecting something similar to what Charmcaster wore but that was not what she found. For one nearly everything was in a soft nearly pastel shade of green. There were a pair of soft leggings that reached just below her knees. Attached to it was a sheer skirt that glittered when the light hit it. The top was the same light green with a swoop neck decorated with what might have been real pearls. The sleeves were short and sheer like the skirt. A creamy yellow belt topped off the ensemble. Jen frowned at the shoes by the door, a pair of soft green leather flats definitely not her tennis shoes. She shrugged. 

“When in Rome.” She muttered slipping them on. She made her way out of the room and found Charmcaster quickly. She was talking to a tall man with pointed ears and hair the color of river silt. He nodded and bowed as Jen hung back not wanting to interrupt. Charmcaster smiled as she spotted her. 

“Oh good it all fits.” She looked her over with a critical eye and snapped her fingers. “Better!” Jen looked at her reflection in the mirror near them. There was a silver spun circlet in her hair where Charmcaster wore her black crown. Jen shrugged choosing not to question whatever got her out of her own head for the moment. 

Charmcaster was right the market was fascinating. There were stands selling magic wands, one was selling cloaks that were enchanted for warmth, or protection. Hats and necklaces that could make the wearer look like someone else. Bags that could hold nearly anything and never feel heavy. Flower crowns that were made of real flowers that never died. Crystal balls in every shape size and variety of crystal. Children laughed and played with the elements, some sat on the fountains through the market practicing their craft under the watchful eye of their parents. They all smiled and bowed at Charmcaster and nodded respectfully to Jen. She was too fascinated to notice the knowing grins on several faces. 

One stall in particular caught her attention though. It was filled with beautifully carved instruments. Charmcaster seemed to notice her interest. She raised an eyebrow. 

“You play?” She asked as Jen examined a hand carved guitar. Jen nodded. 

“My mom taught me a few years back. I haven’t in ages but I do kinda miss it.” Charmcaster smiled lightly as Jen looked over the same guitar again. It was easy to see why she liked it. For one thing the whole instrument was green painted with flowering plants and vines up the neck. It was lightly enchanted to never fall out of tune. Jen had been careful not to touch anything, unsure of any enchantments that might be on objects. She’d likely learned that lesson the hard way from Gwen. The merchant bowed to Charmcaster. 

“Would you like to test it?” He asked, more to his queen than Jen herself. 

“Can I?” Jen asked tentatively. Charmcaster nodded. 

“Can’t hurt, unless you’re really bad.” She teased. The challenge lit an old flame in Jen’s eyes and Charmcaster grinned as she picked up the instrument and carefully plucked the chords to test the tune. Charmcaster smiled at her as she strummed a few notes. “Not bad, I want to hear you play something though.” Jen rolled her eyes but strummed the first few lines of a song. It wasn’t overly complex but the tune dipped and strummed around the words that fell from Jen’s lips as she sang along with the tune. 

It wasn’t a song that Charmcaster was familiar with, it spoke of a fire that burned everything around it but it wasn’t a sad song. It was almost soothing as she strummed the chorus again. The final verse was longer, more complex but Jen didn’t miss a note. She didn’t seem to notice that she’d caught the attention of a few people, some of the children in the square were starting to dance. This wasn’t all that unusual for the town. Music often filled the air, it held a magic all its own after all. Her song ended softly and she smiled and nearly jumped as a few people applauded. She grinned sheepishly as Charmcaster pulled several coins from her purse and handed them to the merchant. 

“Thank you.” She pulled Jen out of the shop, guitar still in hand. Jen smiled at her slinging the instrument over her shoulder by the strap soft green leather. “That was beautifully played. What’s it from?” Jen blushed. 

“A movie.” Charmcaster laughed. 

“Will you play another?” A small voice distracted them as one of the children raced up to them. Her mother was close behind her bowing low. 

“My apologies your majesty. We did not mean to interrupt your outing with your companion.” Jen shrugged.

“I’d be ok with playing another one.” Charmcaster smiled. 

“No trouble at all.” This one was faster paced and much more complicated. It spoke of flight, of reaching out and touching the sky. It drew far more dancers as laughter filled the air. A few more musicians played when Jen finished and Charmcaster pulled her out into the square to dance along. The impromptu party went on for ages, food and wine flowing in abundance. Charmcaster watched as every worry and care Jen had built up since they’d last seen each other melted. She grinned as she spun her into a dip as the light in the sky, not a sun per say, began to dim slightly and candles were lit around them. Jen laughed as the children were ushered inside begging for one more song. Charmcaster smiled fondly as Jen picked her new guitar back up. 

“Ok, ok, one more. This is the lullaby my mom used to sing to me when I was younger.” She strummed the opening chords. “I tamed the winged horse, I slayed the giant, I found the magic beans.” The song was soft and low as she continued to sing. But it was also sad, the singer in love with the one they sang to but unable to have them. “And a promise as real as a dream.” This one did not attract dancers, people simply stopped to listen. The children were starting to fall asleep too, the hour getting late as Jen kept singing, parents nodding gratefully as they collected their sleeping children from the circle they’d formed around her. Chamcaster stepped over to her as her fingers coaxed out the last few notes of the song from the chords. 

“That was beautiful, where’d your mother learn that one?” Jen smiled. 

“She and her band actually wrote that one.” Charmcaster smiled as she pulled Jen to her feet and led her back to the castle for dinner. Jen set the guitar down by her chair. 

“How come so many of your people like music? I mean I guess it’s not that weird but impromptu jam sessions in the village square?” Charmcaster laughed. 

“It’s the only universal kind of magic that anyone, truly anyone, can make. Though I’ll admit I never learned how to play the guitar.” Jen grinned into her goblet. 

“I could show you if you want.” Charmcaster smiled. 

“I’d like that.” Jen sat next to her on the bench her hands on top of Charmcaster’s to show her where to place her fingers as she showed her a few simple chords. But in moments they were distracted from the lesson when they realized just how close they were, their faces a hairs breath apart. Charmcaster blinked slightly as Jen’s green eyes dipped looking down at her lips. 

“Thought you wanted to go slow.” Charmcaster teased. Jen looked her back in the eye a burning fire behind those eyes. 

“Fuck going slow.” In the next moment their lips connected and Charmcaster grinned into the kiss. A snap of her fingers and they were no longer at the table in the dining hall. Instead they were on her expansive bed. She caught Jen’s chin and pulled back from the kiss. 

“Are you sure about this? Because if we do this there are a lot of things I want to do. We might not leave the room for a while.” Jen smiled wickedly. 

“Is that a promise?” Charmcaster laughed waving the hand so the curtain around the bed pulled itself closed around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The songs are the Celtic Women cover of I See Fire, Touch The Sky from Brave, and Real As A Dream by Misty river in that order in case you were curious.


	36. Label

It took Gwen three days to get worried enough to try and get into Ledgerdomain. She ended up having Kevin drive out to the Wellspring outside of Bellwood and jump in with her. They surfaced in the realm of magic and Gwen tracked Jen, which was even easier than usual. A single spot of bright green in a world of pinks. They went in fully prepared for a fight. But everyone was very polite as they made their way through the bustling town. Kevin, who hadn’t seen it before had to be dragged away from a bag that only the owner could remove things from for sale in the market. 

They headed straight for the palace, no one stopped them. The golems guarding the gates regarded them for a moment before opening the gates. Gwen frowned slightly, she’d expected more resistance. Once inside the castle they found it bustling with life. No one seemed to notice them as they searched for Jen. Only when a tall man with hair the color of river silt and long pointed ears spotted them did they get any help. He smiled and bowed slightly. 

“My name is Tiber, I am one of the Queen’s councilors. May I help you in some way?” Gwen smiled a bit awkwardly. 

“Possibly. We’re looking for my cousin. Brown hair, green eyes, about yay high?” She asked gesturing at about where Jen would stand next to her. Tiber’s eyes glittered like water in sunlight. 

“Ah, yes her majesty said you would come. Can I offer you refreshment?” He asked, several servants materializing around them holding a full tea set and several different pastries. Gwen frowned. 

“I’d really rather find my cousin.” She insisted. Tiber nodded slightly. 

“As you wish.” He gestured for them to follow him, the servants came along as well. Tiber stopped in front of a set of ornate doors. He stood to the side. “You’ll find her in there.” He stepped over to the tea set and poured himself a cup blowing gently to cool it as he watched. Kevin absorbed the stone of the floor as Gwen’s hands lit up. She nodded to him and he kicked the door in. The room was large but directly ahead of them was an expansive bed. The curtains around it were pulled back and sitting atop it was Jen wrapped in a pink silk sheet next to Charmcaster who’s hair was rumpled and missing her usual black crown. She too appeared to be clad only in the pink silks that covered the bed. 

“Oh.” Kevin’s eyes went wide and he bit back a laugh. Letting the stone drop from around him he stepped over to where Tiber was standing. The elven man offered him a cup of tea and this time he accepted, sipping loudly. “This is really good tea.” He said it a lot louder than was strictly necessary. Gwen was still standing in the doorway in a battle ready stance staring at her cousin. 

“Gwen!” Jen pulled the sheet a little closer around herself. “I can explain!” Gwen threw both hands in the air turned on her heel and walked away. Charmcaster laughed. 

“You should go catch her.” She teased Jen as she waved a hand both of them were dressed in an instant. Jen threw aside the silk sheet and grabbed her guitar from its resting place beside the bed. Charmcaster laughed again as the brunette raced out of the room after her cousin. Kevin nodded to Tiber in thanks and followed the Tennysons. It took Jen a minute to catch her cousin and pull her into an empty chamber so no one else could interrupt them. Kevin slipped in after them. 

“You and Charmcaster?” Gwen sounded appalled. Jen rolled her eyes. 

“You and Kevin Levin.” Kevin snorted wrapping an arm around Gwen. 

“She has a point Gwen.” Gwen glared between the two as Jen tried in desperation to fix her hair. Gwen shook her head. 

“Are you two dating now? I really don’t understand what’s happening.” Jen sighed. 

“We decided we didn’t want to put labels on it. It’s something we both needed.” 

“What exactly.” Gwen demanded. Kevin looked about ready to stick his fingers in his ear just for his own safety. 

“Intimacy. A connection with someone. Look I’m not sorry Gwen.” Gwen sighed. 

“I don’t expect you to be sorry.” Quite the contrary really. Jen looked more like herself than she had since they’d found out Aggregor was using the Ultimatrix to track the Andromeda aliens. Gwen sighed again. “Your parents are worried about you missing so much school.” Jen swore. There was a knock at the door. 

“If you’re done in the closet.” Jen shook her head, a fond smile on her face as she opened the door. Charmcaster stood there looking immaculate and smiling slightly. “It probably is about time I sent you home though.” She said to Jen with a grin as she pulled her into a kiss. Kevin averted his eyes. Charmcaster winked at her as she led the trio out into the back garden to send them home. She summoned the Doors and winked at Jen. “Come back anytime.” Jen waved back at her as they stepped through the doors and onto the spit of rock that held the Doors on Earth. Jen gestured them to follow her and they loaded up onto the ship that still sat anchored to the rocks. Jen dropped them off at Kevin’s car and flew the ship back to base. 

She ended up grounded for a month for disappearing, put on light duty and having several extra long sessions with her therapist after everything that had happened. But she was feeling better about the whole ordeal than she had since it began. They received word that the Andromeda aliens had arrived home safe and sound. The Max Force was fully recovered although most of them weren’t speaking to Kevin at the moment. Jen caught up with her homework and Julie coached her through studying for their English finals. All too soon school was wrapping up and they decided to celebrate by getting out of the city for a few days. After all what could go wrong on a fishing trip.


	37. Kindred

Racing Kevin to the campsite was fun. Nearly getting squished by a crashing escape pod was less so. Gwen tried to open it and cut her finger on a jagged edge of the damaged ship. Surprisingly that seemed to trigger the ship to open revealing a young blonde woman, unconscious and completely naked. Jen pulled off her jacket and draped it over the girl.

“Kevin turn around. Gwen can you grab my bag from the back of my car, I have a spare blanket in there.” Gwen nodded healing her bleeding finger in a gesture. She rushed to the back of Jen’s car and pulled out the two bags there rummaging through them before she found the blanket. She tossed it to her cousin who carefully tucked it around the girl who was beginning to stir. “How about you two head to the campsite and start setting up I’ll catch up once she’s awake.” Gwen nodded, dragging Kevin away. Jen sighed. The blonde stirred and sat up holding the blanket to herself. 

“Wh…. Where am I?” Jen smiled slightly. 

“You’re about two hundred miles from Bellwood, California. On Earth. My name’s Jen Tennyson. What’s your name?” The blonde stared at her big bright eyes confused. 

“I don’t know.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Finding an amnesiac alien who looked very human was not how the camping weekend was supposed to go but the girl was sweet. It took a while to coax any kind of name from her. She had a vague memory of being called Eunice and seemed to like the name so that was what they stuck with. She was kind and apologized for nearly everything. Jen helped her to her feet still wrapped in the blanket. 

“Come on I have some spare clothes you can borrow.” Eunice smiled at her green eyes twinkling. 

“Thank you. Why are you being so nice to me?” Jen shrugged. 

“It’s sort of what I do.” Kevin rolled his eyes as Jen scooped up her bag and the two girls headed off into the forest so Eunice could change in peace. Jen handed her a pair of jeans and a black tank top from her bag and frowned as she found the notebook at the bottom of it. She hadn’t thought about it since she’d found out Aggregor had been using her to track the missing aliens. It was the field notebook Kai and Greggory had used for their translation of the Forever Knight’s journal. She flipped it open as she waited for Eunice to get dressed. The last entry was still bookmarked. 

‘The king has granted me my request.’ Jen frowned flipping back an entry, it had been so long she’d forgotten what the knight was requesting. He wanted to go out after the Dagon on his own, citing some curse that would possibly save him where others had died. She flipped back to the other entry. ‘After a long talk with him he has agreed that the Dagon must be dealt with, however his is not sending me alone. I worry that I may not be able to defend the other knights he has sent along with me. They know nothing of my curse nor anything of magics that exist in the world.’ Jen raised an eyebrow. Except for the mention of his curse this was the first time the Knight had mentioned magic. She was about to read on when she sensed someone standing over her shoulder. She looked up and smiled at Eunice. 

“Feel a bit better?” She asked as she closed the notebook. Eunice nodded. 

“Yeah, thank you.” Jen stood as a cardinal landed on Eunice’s shoulder. Jen stared a smile breaking over her face. 

“I’ve never seen a wild bird land on someone before.” Eunice smiled and held up a finger for the cardinal to jump onto. It did so, allowing her to pet it as Jen watched in awe. 

“Would you like to pet him?” Eunice asked. Jen stepped slowly closer not wanting to spook the bird. He allowed her to run a finger down his back before he flew away. Jen laughed as she picked up her bag. 

“That was actually really cool! Come on we should help Kevin and Gwen set up the campsite.” Eunice nodded and fell into step beside her. She glanced at the notebook under her arm. 

“What is that?” 

“Oh this. Well it’s a bit of a mystery. A friend of mine and I found it in…” Jen paused trying to figure out how to explain the Forever Knights to a sweet innocent girl with no memory. She shrugged. “Well we found a few really old books and one of them well. It shouldn’t have been there. There was a piece of alien technology with it and we’ve been trying to figure out why it was there since. It’s been a while too.” Eunice smiled. 

“Solving mysteries sounds fun! Is that what you do?” Jen shrugged smiling lightly as she brushed a branch out of the way. 

“Among other things yeah.” It was nice talking to someone who didn’t know she was famous at all. Eunice grinned as they reached the campsite. Kevin was setting up his tent, or at least trying to. Jen grinned as she started setting hers up. Eunice stepped up to her. 

“How can I help?” Jen grinned at her. 

“Hand me that tent spike?” Eunice nodded and together they had the tent set up in no time. Kevin insisted he hadn’t given up but if they wanted to catch some fish they were wasting daylight. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jen ended up making pancakes, not because they couldn’t catch any fish but because Eunice couldn’t stomach the idea of eating meat. But she seemed to enjoy the pancakes though as they watched Kevin struggle with his tent. Jen held out a hand to her.

“Come on I know the best view around here.” Gwen watched them go as Kevin swore at the tent spike he’d just broken. 

“You know I could help you.” Kevin shook his head. 

“The guy’s supposed to put up the tent.” Pink lights flashed and the spike in his hand repaired itself. 

“That might just be the stupidest thing that’s come out of your mouth in a while.” Gwen said and Kevin looked down at his shoes. 

“Sorry.” She nodded and took the spike from him. 

“Hand me that hammer.” He nodded. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jen sat alone that night near the dying fire. She tossed another log onto it. Eunice was gone, had left with Azmuth. She hadn’t been human at all, but a prototype of the Omnitrix called the Unitrix. After a scuffle with Sunder the Retriever Azmuth had agreed to take Eunice on as an assistant. But Jen couldn’t sleep. She hoped Eunice would be ok on Primus. Hopefully it would feel as much like home to her as it had to Jen the one time she’d gone. Sighing Jen pulled the notebook out of her bag again. She flipped it open to where she’d left off and began to read again. 

‘The Dagon is more powerful than I could have ever imagined. Many a knight perished in the fight. But there may yet be a ray of hope. Tonight I was visited by a fey being.’ Jen frowned. This must be the Galvan then. She and Greggory were still in slight debate about this, but the writing on the tapestries had definitely been Galvan. Jen kept reading. ‘He was unimpressive in stature but held himself with the dignity of the wisest of men. He had a gift for me. It is a sword the likes of which I have never seen. It cleaves stone and flesh alike. But the sword came with a warning. It could wield the power to defeat the Dagon but in the wrong hands, or with the wrong intent it could cause the fall of the world.’ Jen frowned as she remembered the vision she’d seen when she’d touched the green book as Stardust. There had been a gleaming sword there. She frowned and flipped the page. 

‘It has been long since I wrote here. For a time I feared I would not have the chance again. The Dagon is powerful beyond imagining. Even with the fey sword, Ascalon, I feared I would be unable to defeat the beast. But another miracle may have granted me the assistance I need to master the many abilities of the sword. I would not have believed it had I not witnessed it myself. She appeared from thin air in a swirling pink mist. She was a tall figure with gleaming stone skin and silver hair.’ Jen frowned, an Apollonite on Earth that long ago? It didn’t make sense. Shaking her head she read on. 

‘I had been struck down by a blow from the Dagon, though it seemed to bypass my curse I could not die knowing that this beast was loose upon the world. At her touch my wound closed. She beat back the Dagon’s minions summoning arrow after arrow from the air itself. But once the enemy was routed she underwent a transformation.’ Jen frowned. Apollonites didn’t transform. 

‘She is no older than my girl was when she and her mother were slain by the Dagon. Some of the men think that perhaps she was sent by the fey swordsmith to help defeat the creature. She wears his symbol so it is possible. We return to the castle tonight, by then I hope to be able to question this being on her origin and purpose here.’ Jen jumped as Kevin’s tent flap opened. She breathed out as he smiled sheepishly. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” She shook her head. 

“You didn’t.” She insisted but he didn’t seem to buy it. He slipped off into the trees and returned a little while later. Jen was deep in contemplation about how an Apollonite ended up on Earth in the eleventh century with the ability to transform into something else. She ran her hands through her hair. Maybe it hadn’t been an Apollonite, but something else with stone like skin and mana control or another way to summon arrows. Kevin sat down next to her. 

“You ok?” Jen shrugged. 

“Fine, just trying to work out a mystery.” Kevin nodded but he didn’t seem all that interested in the book. 

“Look I wanted to talk to you.” Jen looked up at him, he looked nervous. She frowned. “I wanted to say I’m sorry.” He held up his hands as she made to speak. “Let me finish.” She stayed silent. “I said a lot of things when I went crazy again. And I regret all of them. I…” Jen reached over and squeezed his hand. 

“I get it.” He looked up at her, dark eyes searching green ones. 

“You really do don’t you?” Jen nodded. 

“You were trapped as something you’re not. I’ve been there. It gets hard sometimes when you’re stuck that way for a long time to keep everything straight.” Kevin nodded at her. 

“Does it feel like that every time you transform?” Jen shook her head. 

“No, luckily. But with a few transformations it does. Ghostfreak in particular has always had a mind of her own, literally. When I was younger and transformed into her it wasn’t always me. But I was still in there.” Kevin nodded. 

“I get that.” Jen smiled lightly. 

“I know you do.” She reached over and pulled Kevin into a hug that he returned after a shocked moment. It was nice having a friend who was willing to do what needed to be done and could still listen and understand what he went through. Jen stood and stretched. 

“I need to get some sleep after today.” Kevin nodded. 

“Yeah. Thanks Jen.” She nodded as she kicked some dirt over the dying fire, leaving only the starlight shining around them. 

“Night Kevin.”

“Night Jen.”


	38. Foreign Politics

Jen didn’t like getting involved in Earth politics. It could get sticky, honestly any political situation could get sticky. But the king of Zarkovia had contacted the UN and requested Jen’s assistance. Apparently his son had gotten hold of a dangerous alien that Jen had tangled with before. Dr. Viktor was a Transylain that Gwen and Jen had tangled with back when they were kids. He had originally resurrected Ghostfreak but was formidable on his own. They’d agreed to come collect the convict as he’d ended up in the Null Void some time since Jen had last seen him. Apparently Kevin had run into him there. 

“Yeah he’s a tough customer.” Jen nodded as they flew into Zarkovian airspace.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Getting their asses handed to them by Dr. Viktor, who was under the control of King Xarion’s son Prince Gyula was almost embarrassing. Gwen shook her head as she woke up. Jen was hanging next to her on the wall, Kevin chained nearby in a chair. All of them had power dampeners on. These devices were things she’d only seen through her research into Plumber tech. They looked like thick gold circlets with a red gem in the center but were far more complex than that. Gwen shook her head again. 

“What happened?” She wasn’t really expecting an answer, Jen and Kevin were still out cold. But she got one as a weak voice came from the rack in front of her. 

“My son has betrayed me. Usurped my throne and left me in my own dungeon and left me to rot!” Gwen spotted King Xarion chained there. She glanced at Kevin and Jen, neither of them had stirred yet. She managed to let off a blast of power to free the king but soon wished she hadn’t. He stepped over to the controls and released Jen who fell as though boneless to the floor. The king smiled. Gwen frowned as he pulled a syringe out of his cloak. 

“What are you doing?” The king smiled up at her. 

“What I’d planned since my son revealed his weapon to me. I needed a source of enough power to complete the transfer and she has several transformations that will suffice.” He slipped the needle int Jen’s neck and injected the liquid within. Gwen pulled at her restraints but she’d used what little energy she could get at to free the king. He smiled at her as he pulled the needle out of her cousin. 

“Fear not, it’s just a sedative. I need her alive. For now.” He picked her up by the back of her jacket and dragged her to the door which was opened by a palace guard. “Take her to the lab.” The guard nodded and hefted Jen over one shoulder. The king nodded at Gwen in mocking respect. “Thank you my dear.” He closed and locked the door behind him. Gwen screamed in rage her power bubbling under her skin, unable to escape. Kevin jerked awake blinking hard. 

“What did I miss?” He blinked looking around confused. 

“King Xarion is going to use Jen as a power source. We need to get out of here!” Kevin swore and tried to absorb the metal of his bindings, only for nothing to happen. 

“Power dampeners. Great.” He wiggled his hands and managed to get a few fingers under his sleeve. He pulled and came away with a bobby pin in between his fingers. He managed to wiggle it into the keyhole and in moments he had one hand loose. He ripped off the power dampener and absorbed the metal of his cuff, ripping it apart. He pulled Gwen’s power dampener off as well. There was a minor explosion as her pent up energy was released but Kevin managed to dodge the shrapnel as they raced off to find Jen. They found her still out cold in a rig Kevin identified as an energy transference setup. 

“King asshat used her to power the damn thing.” He growled as he pulled her free and began gently smacking her in the face. “Come on, wake up.” Gwen frowned. 

“He sedated her.” Gwen said kneeling next to her supine cousin. Kevin glanced at the Ultimatrix. 

“Turn it to Swampfire. She should be able to purge it from her system.” Gwen glanced at the Ultimatrix. Kevin glanced at her. “I’d do it but I’m never touching that thing again. Not unless the universe is at stake.” Gwen nodded and turned the dial on the Ultimatrix to what she thought was Swampfire. Slapping down the dial however resulted in molten slag and crackling lava rocks covering Jen as they both scrambled away from her. As it turned out when Pyronites threw up it came out as literal lava, burning a hole into the floor of the lab as Heatblast shook her head sitting up.

“I hate today.” Gwen laughed as they pulled themselves to their feet and took off after Dr. Viktor. 

This time their victory was concise. Jen took the mind control device from the prince and turned it off before smashing the controls. Since the mind in charge of Dr. Viktor was technically human they left him behind covered from head to foot in dried molten slag. The people of Zarkovia would decide their own fate and it didn’t look like they would be siding with the insane King or despotic Prince any time soon. 

Jen fell asleep on the way back to Bellwood and Gwen took Kevin’s hand and squeezed. He smiled at her as he steered the ship. 

“Everything ok?” She nodded. 

“Yeah. Everything’s fine.” For once he sort of believed her. This had been a bit of an odd mission but odd missions were old hat for them at this point. Gwen leaned forward again. 

“Listen I wanted to talk to you.” Kevin felt his heart drop. Was she breaking up with him? “I applied to graduate early. And they think I might walk the stage as soon as December if I play my cards right.” Kevin frowned. This was in no way what he’d been expecting as Gwen glanced over at her snoring cousin to make sure she was truly asleep. “I would be going to the east coast for College. There’s a few Ivy League schools I’ve got my eyes on, and I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me.” Kevin blinked. 

“You still want me around, even after…” He cut himself off. He didn’t really want to remind her of everything he’d done to both her and her cousin. Gwen pecked him on the cheek. 

“I thought I made it obvious that I want you around.” He grinned leaning in for a real kiss. 

“I’ve never been to the east coast. Should be fun.” She smiled at him and pulled him into another kiss. He only pulled away when the controls beeped at him for flying a little too close to a mountain. He turned just in time and Gwen glanced back at Jen who had thankfully buckled herself in. The redhead snorted as her cousin kept snoring. 

“I swear if someone didn’t wake her up she’d sleep through the end of the world.” Kevin glanced at her. 

“Yeah, what about her? She’s not graduating early.” Gwen shook her head. 

“No but Grandpa Max is looking into getting her a new partner so if he asks you to look over a Rookie file that’s what that’s about.” Kevin nodded. 

“It’ll have to be someone with the patience of a saint.” Gwen laughed nodding.


	39. Tip Off

Jen grinned as Pierce loaded a few more Forever Knights into the back of the ship. Kevin glanced around. 

“Remind me how we knew they’d be here?” He asked and Jen grinned. 

“I have my sources.” She grinned and got into her car taking off before he could ask more. She stopped off at a burger shack and picked up some dinner before heading out of town. She arrived at her destination and hopped out of the car a smile on her face as she slipped into the apartment building. She hopped up the stairs and knocked on the door. It was answered quickly by a plump woman in a very nice dress. 

“Jen! Thank you so much for babysitting tonight, no one else will.” Jen shrugged at Jimmy’s mother. 

“No problem Mrs. Jones. Jimmy’s safe with me.” Mrs. Jones smiled and finished pinning her hair up in the hallway mirror.

“Have fun on your date mom!” Jimmy called out from his room as Jen stepped into the appointment. 

“I’ll be back before ten. He’s already had dinner, don’t let him fill up on sweets.” Jen nodded and headed off to the kid’s room. 

“You can count on me Mrs. J.” She smiled as she left and Jen knocked on Jimmy’s door. He grinned as he pulled it open. 

“Oh good you’re here, It’s about to start!” Jen laughed as he ushered her inside his room then sat down in his desk chair. He flicked on his computer and picked up his keyboard. Jen laughed as he began to play his match. Jimmy Jones was a long time player in an MMORPG that Jen had been amused to find also housed quite a few Forever Knights. It was exceedingly amusing because not only was it a fantasy RPG but they tended to talk about work no matter what there. Jimmy Jones had been playing so long that many of the knights told him whatever he wanted to know for a chance at the legendary gear he offered. Today’s raid was going particularly well. Which meant the knights would be in a talking mood so Jen pulled out the field notebook she’d been reading. She flipped it back open to the last entry and frowned. 

‘The child is proving difficult to speak to. It is not that she is from a different land, though that does seem to be the case. But she seems unwilling to speak, perhaps the shock of battle with the Dagon is too much for her.’ Jen raised an eyebrow. This knight clearly didn’t have faith in young alien women. Though since Jen had no idea how old the knight’s daughter had been when she’d died. Jen shrugged and kept reading. ‘She wears clothes like those I have never seen in my long life. Her manner of speech is odd as well though she has no trouble understanding us. She seems to know not how she arrived here but the shadows in her eyes speak of betrayal of the highest order. Many of the knights believe that since she bears the swordsmith’s mark she is my responsibility. I feel they are right but that decision is down to the king.’ Jimmy cheered and Jen looked up a small smile on her face. 

“Nice! We beat it!” Jen held back a laugh, knowing the Jimmy had his microphone on. “That was awesome! Yeah!” Jimmy nodded grabbing his notebook and scribbling a few things down. He held up his notes and Jen grinned there were details and addresses. She shot him the thumbs up and he signed off his game. 

“You’re the best Jimmy. How’s school?” He frowned. 

“Well I like English class but I am having problems in science.” Jen grinned. 

“I can help with that.” Jen said grinning and stepping over to him. He pulled his homework out of his bag. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jimmy Jones was inquisitive at best, nosy at worst. But as it turned out that was probably a good thing if seeing Jen talking to a literal eyeball plant was anything to go by. There Was a weird pod on the wall too. But Jimmy was more focused on the fact that the plant seemed to be telling Jen what to do, and worse she was listening. He ran, to the nearest people he knew who could help. But though Gwen was nice as always both of them wrote him off as just a kid who didn’t know what he was talking about. He didn’t want to go to the news not after what had happened with half of the media painting Jen as a bad guy when he’d revealed her identity. So he looked up the current address of the Rustbucket, the infamous home of Maxwell Tennyson. Jen had told him a few stories about her grandfather but he seemed to be most likely to help him. He found the Rustbucket but the man wasn’t there. Instead one of Jen’s friends he hadn’t met yet was. He was tall with spikes growing out of his skin and a white stripe in his dark hair. He blinked at Jimmy glancing at his jacket and raising an eyebrow at him. 

“Can I help you?” Jimmy nodded.

“Um I hope so, I’m looking for Max Tennyson. I have an alien problem.” 

“Max is at headquarters, but I’m a Plumber I may be able to help you.” Jimmy nodded and came into the RV. 

Pierce wasn’t sure how to deal with this kid. He’d heard about him from Jen, a smart little ten year old who’d worked out her identity from the weird world website he ran. But it was Plumber code to help those in need and the kid looked beyond freaked out. He sat down at the table and Pierce opened the fridge. 

“Can I offer you a drink, we have milk, soda, orange juice and…” He pulled a carton out of the back of the fridge that had writing on it he didn’t recognize. “questionable alien stuff that I’m not touching without Max around.” Jimmy shook his head. 

“No time. Something’s wrong with Jen! She’s working with an alien conspiracy!” Pierce raised an eyebrow and sat down across from him. 

“Ok tell me what you know.” Jimmy blinked. 

“You’re actually gonna listen?” He sounded astonished. Pierce nodded. 

“It’s my job kid. I’m a Plumber.” Jimmy smiled and started his tale with the meteorite he’d heard a rumor about. It had turned out to be a plant. He’d gone straight to Jen like she’d asked him to but Gwen and Kevin had other things to do. So she’d taken him to check it out herself. But she’d been inside the cave too long. So he’d gone in to make sure she was alright and found her talking to the plant thing. 

“And she said ‘your wish is my command!’ But she sounded like a zombie!” Pierce nodded. 

“Calm down kid. We’re gonna make sure she’s ok. Look let me make a call real quick.” He pulled a badge out of his pocket and tapped the side. It lit up and beeped for a minute. 

“Hello?” The voice was unfamiliar to Jimmy but Pierce smiled. 

“Hey Magister Tennyson, it’s Pierce. I’m going to check out a tip outside of town. Have you heard from Jen recently in like the last few hours?” There was a pause. 

“Actually yes. She was asking if I’d seen the reporter kid Jimmy Jones. Seemed a bit off though, probably hasn’t been sleeping again.” Pierce nodded. 

“Maybe. I’ll call you after.” 

“I can send Gwen and Kevin for backup they’re here. Looking for Jimmy too actually. Hang on.” He must have handed the badge over to Kevin because his was the next voice to come out of the badge. 

“Pierce have you seen the kid?” Pierce frowned. Kevin didn’t normally sound like that his tone almost robotic. 

“No, why?” Gwen seemed to have taken the badge. 

“Are you sure? Jen wanted us to find him.” Jimmy shook his head at Pierce. Pierce nodded slightly. 

“You realize I’ve never met the kid right? But I’ll keep an eye out. Hey were is Jen anyway?” There was a pause. 

“She went to check out a cave Jimmy thought was suspicious again. She didn’t find anything last time but she does like to be thorough.” Kevin said. Pierce nodded. 

“Cool. I’ll see you guys around.” Pierce hung up and Jimmy stared. 

“Why’d you lie for me?” Pierce shook his head. 

“Kevin doesn’t normally talk like that. Somethings up. Where’s this cave?” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Finding three pods where there had been one on the wall of the cave with a much bigger plant was scary. Hearing Jen talk to the thing as they snuck into the room was worse. 

“The original is failing.” She said as she eyed one of the pods. From here they couldn’t quite make out what was inside. The eye on the giant plant alien twitched and Jen turned towards it. “I do not know master. It began when we removed the Ultimatrix from her.” Pierce swore under his breath. One of the spikes on his arm grew longer and he snapped it off and twirled it. 

“Maybe they know!” They were tossed from behind by Kevin and Gwen. They landed in front of the pods. Jimmy looked up and gasped. Gwen, Kevin and Jen were trapped in the pods in front of them and Jen looked very pale even though the purple film of the pod. Pierce leapt to his feet and attacked. Jimmy scrambled away and several packs of peanuts fell from his bag. One of them was open spilling the contents out over the vines feeding into the pods. They burned and Jimmy thought fast snatching up a package and ripping it open tossing the peanuts at the pods. It burned through and Gwen and Kevin stumbled out of the pods. Jen just fell barely catching herself on her hands as she coughed. Jimmy ran up to her. 

“Are you ok Miss Tennyson?” He asked as Jen used him to pull herself up. 

“Not particularly. But I will be as soon as I get the Ultimatrix back.” It took a few minutes for her to do that but once she did and Jimmy tossed his backpack, full of peanuts, down its throat the fight was over quickly. Jen pulled Jimmy aside. 

“Look I trust you but no one can know that taking off the Ultimatrix is that dangerous.” Jimmy nodded. She looked much better, all the color had returned to her face and her nose had stopped bleeding. 

“I swear Miss Tennyson.” She smiled at him and ruffled his hair. 

“Good, thanks Jimmy. Now let’s get you home your mom’s probably worried about you.”


	40. The Other Cousin

When Kevin was a kid all he’d had was his mother. She’d never remarried after his dad and didn’t have a large family to begin with her parents having died when she was young. But he was starting to realize just how large the Tennyson family really was. 

“So I’m sorry how are you guys related to this girl?” He asked Jen scratching his head as Gwen went to collect said relative from the mall they had passed. Sunny had jumped out of the car while it was still moving. If Kevin hadn’t been in a school zone she would have been injured pretty severely. 

“She’s our cousin.” Kevin frowned. 

“But I thought I knew all your cousins.” Jen shook her head. 

“Hardly. You’ve met Gwen’s brother Ken but that’s it. You haven’t met Cousin Lucy, Clyde, Sunny, or Joel. We have a large extended family. Grandpa Max has a brother and a sister after all.” Kevin nodded. 

“Ok and which one is this one again? I wasn’t paying attention.” 

“Cousin Sunny. I haven’t seen her since we were really little kids, ages ago. But that’s not too surprising. She’s our cousin through Grandma Verdona’s side of the family.” Kevin blinked. 

“Scary Grandma has more kids than just your dad and Gwen’s dad?” Jen raised an eyebrow at him.

“You know technically Grandma Verdona never married Grandpa Max. Not by human standards anyway. I guarantee she has other kids. Very free spirited.” Jen glanced out the window, Gwen was dragging Sunny to the car. Her computer beeped from its spot in Kevin’s lap. 

“We got robots. We should go!” Gwen nodded shoving Sunny into the backseat by Jen who shrugged at Sunny’s complaints. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sunny turning out to be a full fledged Anodite wearing a skin suit explained why she looked like Gwen if she had black hair and blue eyes. Her boyfriend being a twelve foot tall troll like alien was a bit of a surprise. But the two of them getting pissed off and nearly setting off a fusion bomb well that was the last straw. Jen turned into Stardust and blasted Antonio out of the building. 

“I’ll take care of the boyfriend if you’ve got the snotty cousin.” Gwen nodded as Jen swooped out of the building as Kevin began to disarm the bomb. Antonio stared. 

“Anodites can’t be different colors!” He said in confusion. Jen swooped around him a bubble of mana trailing her. 

“I’m one of a kind big guy.” She grinned as she sent the bubble spinning. Antonio cried out as he went spinning out onto the soccer field nearby. Their fight was pretty short. Jen rolled the ball containing the unconscious Antonio out onto the asphalt as Grandma Verdona trapped Sunny in a bubble of mana. Verdona grinned. 

“Ah my two favorite grandchildren.” Sunny pouted.

“Gwen thinks she’s too good to be an Anodite! And Jen’s not even real! There are no green Anodites!” Grandma Verdona glared at Sunny. 

“Sunny I have no idea how you ended up such a spoiled brat. You are a born energy being. You should understand by now that more things are possible than even we can imagine. You’re being self destructive on purpose to try and prove you’re better and it’s just making you worse. Your parents and I will be having a talk.” Verdona smiled at Jen and Gwen as she floated up into the air again. 

“Have fun you two!” She grinned waving as Jen turned back to normal. She took Sunny and Antonio disappearing into the atmosphere. Kevin whistled. 

“You’re grandma is terrifying.” Jen laughed as Gwen nodded. 

“You’re not wrong.” The redhead stated stepping over to him and wrapping an arm around him. He smiled pressing a kiss to her forehead. Jen grinned at them and stepped down the street. Kevin frowned. 

“Where are you going?” Jen shrugged. 

“You two could use the night alone. I’m gonna stretch my wings.” She pun the dial on the Ultimatrix and flew off as Big Chill. She landed on the roof of her house before turning back to herself. She pulled the mirror Charmcaster had given her out of her pocket. She turned it over in her hands a few times before slipping it back into her pocket. Instead she climbed into her window and frowned around her room for something to do. She found the field notebook waiting on her bed. She picked it up frowning slightly. She wasn’t sure what to make of the current situation the knight was in. She sighed and set the notebook aside deciding that she wanted an early night instead. She kicked off her shoes and pulled off her jacket, flopping down onto her bed and pulling the blanket over her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Greggory was having a quiet morning. He hummed to himself as he shelved a few books. He frowned as he picked one up off the table at the back of the library. This was usually where George could be found with his nose in a book, or more often these days a news article about Jen. He’d been very interested in the shapeshifter since meeting her in Greggory’s skype chat. He frowned a bit. There were a few articles scattered across the table about the Forever Knights and Jen putting a stop to many of their heists. Greggory frowned as he collected the articles. He left his cart behind, deciding to return the articles to the man himself. He should still be in bed. He tapped on the door to his room. There was no answer. He tapped a little louder. 

“Come in.” Came the clear response. Greggory opened the door and frowned slightly. George spent most of his time in a wheelchair. Greggory wasn’t sure how old he was but he was very old. But now he stood in the middle of the room pulling on a plain jacket. He smiled at Greggory but it was a bit melancholy. 

“Is everything alright?” Greggory nodded. 

“I feel like I should be asking you that.” George glanced down at something in his hand. He shook his head slightly. 

“Just preparing for a journey my young friend.” Greggory’s frown deepened. 

“A journey. What are you talking about?” George frowned down at the item in his hand. 

“Things that should never have been unlocked are free upon the world once again. I must finish the mission I began so long ago. I wonder if you would accompany me.” Greggory caught the coin he tossed to him. He blinked. It was a gold coin emblazoned with the Forever Knight symbol. He stumbled backward. 

“You’re…”

“More than I seem yes. Just like your friend Jennifer. I understand why you left the order. It has become twisted from what it was meant to be. It is time for things to be set right. He glanced back down at the other item in his hand and Greggory caught a glimpse of a stone with a crack in the face. He stuttered. 

“I can’t go back.” He managed to stammer out and George nodded. 

“I understand. Thank you for your care Greggory.” George bowed and walked out past Greggory who stood stock still as George slipped the coin out of his slack grip. Before Greggory could even turn George was gone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sandra Tennyson was awoken by a screaming cry from her daughter’s room. Both she and Carl were on their feet in seconds, Carl grabbing the laser gun off the wall. They took off into her room expecting a full on fight waiting for them but found only Jen sitting up in bed panting hard as if she’d just run several miles. They glanced around, Sandra stepping over to Jen. 

“What’s wrong sweetie?” Jen shook her head. 

“Nothing. Just a nightmare.” Carl frowned.

“Sounded like a bad one. You wanna talk about it?” Jen shook her head as her phone began to buzz. 

“Hey Gwen. Yeah, no you didn’t wake me up.” Jen frowned throwing back the blankets and slipping her shoes on. “A disturbance in the mana field? Like a disturbance in the force?” Jen rolled her eyes slipping on her jacket. “Yeah. You on your way? Cool I’ll meet you and Kevin at the corner.” Sandra frowned and stepped into her daughter’s way. 

“I don’t like you keeping such late nights young lady.” Jen hugged her mom. 

“I don’t like it that much either but no way I’m getting more sleep right now anyway. Might as well help some people while I’m awake.” She hugged her father and slipped between them and out the door. Carl shook his head slightly. 

“She’s just like my dad.” Sandra laughed lightly. 

“She really is.” Sandra yawned and linked arms with her husband and they made their way back to bed.


	41. Betrayal

Finding a Forever Knight seal infused with magic was odd to say the least. The fact that it was seventeen hundred years old was weirder. But the thing that had escaped from it was the weirdest part. It was a slimy green thing with darker green stripes and red glowing eyes. It was holding onto a prone police officer when they found it. The Knight in charge, Sir Cyrus, ordered his knights to open fire on the creature. Jen and the others intervened. Jen turned into Artemis and fired the laser lances out of the knights hands. Gwen went to free the police officer only for the creature to finally look up. It hissed and two feelers reached out and grabbed hold of Gwen, one on either side of her head. She screamed for a moment then her eyes flooded the same sickly green as the creature’s skin. She whirled her hands glowing brightly. 

“You!” She screamed loudly as the knights dove to the side. For one instant Kevin thought she was pointing at him but then a chant fell from her lips in a language that echoed around the alleyway. It made no sense to him but a large pink portal shot through with the red of the creatures eyes appeared behind Jen. Before she had a chance to call out her feet left the ground and she slammed into the portal which closed around her. She got one shot off before she vanished in a swirl of pink. Kevin raced forward to Gwen, his skin covered in the metal of the knights armor. He slammed into the creature and it released her. She dropped to her knees as the creature tried to take hold of him. It didn’t seem able to though and it slammed its front legs into the ground sending up a cloud of dirt as it did. The creature hissed again snatching the nearest human, which happened to be Sir Cyrus’s squire Winston. It clubbed the boy around the head nocking him out cold and raced off as Kevin raced to Gwen. She was holding her head as if in pain. Jen had not reappeared. Kevin held on to Gwen as she shook her head. 

“What happened?” She asked her voice shaking. Kevin shook his head. For once in his life he had absolutely no answers. Not even a witty remark. He was reasonably certain Gwen had just killed her cousin. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jen had no idea what was happening everything was a swirl of pink and green. She couldn’t focus. She couldn’t transform, she couldn’t even hear herself scream. Then in an instant it was over. She was on her feet again and drew another arrow from thin air which was lucky. She fired it off, striking the green slimy creature she was standing in front of. She blinked she should have been in the alley in Bellwood. But that was nowhere near where she was. A battlefield surrounded her, covered in bodies and more of the green creatures. Laying near her was a figure in shining armor. The armor wasn’t intact though, there was a long slash along his side. Setting aside her confusion she knelt by the dying man and placed a hand on him. It took a moment to heal him but she managed it before she was attacked by another of the creatures. 

She wrestled with the thing before the tip of a sword sprouted from its face and she managed to scramble away from it. The knight she had healed was back on his feet. He wielded a gleaming sword that Jen recognized from her vision. She started backwards as she got a look at his face. It was the same knight from her vision too. All that was missing was… A roar interrupted her train of thought as flames sprouted from the air as the knight pulled her to her feet. 

“Stand and fight! I have no time to care for a young one now!” Jen drew an arrow from the air and fired it into the leg of a creature leaping at the knight from behind. He blinked as he spotted the Ultimatrix symbol that sat at the shoulder of Artemis’s chiton. “The sign of the swordsmith! To me Knights! We must rally and drive off the creatures!” Several people pulled themselves to their feet and began to fight the creatures with renewed vigor. Jen had no idea what was going on but she had enough training to know that in the middle of a war you stayed alive and figured out details after. It didn’t take them too long to route the creatures as the hissing roaring black cloud retreated and the knights cheered. The blond one, the one Jen had healed when she’d appeared on the field removed his helmet and bowed to her. 

“My lady you have saved my life, I owe you a debt that can never be repaid. May I know the name of the healer who has rescued me and my men?” Jen blinked at him and at that moment the Ultimatrix decided to time out. Green lights flashed and she stood before them in her normal form. The sound of steel on steel heralded the redrawing of swords all around her. The blond knight raised his own, pointing it at the knights around him. 

“Is all courtesy dead! Stow your weapons!” They hesitated. 

“But Sir George. She is a changeling!” George grabbed her hand gently, turning it so the Ultimatrix was visible the iconic green hourglass glowing at her wrist. 

“She bears the symbol of the swordsmith! She is no threat to us.” He bowed again. “You will accompany us back to the castle. The king will wish to meet you.” She blinked at him in confusion as the knights around him murmured and stowed their weapons. 

“I’m sorry I have no idea where I even am.” George frowned slightly. 

“I am Sir George, of the great kingdom of Albion. What is your name young changeling?” He asked kindly looking her over. 

“My name is Jen Tennyson.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of this story, there is another one coming soon. You have my word.


End file.
